Here I Go
by crazykelly101
Summary: SSA Lindsey Parker, 27, comes to the BAU to replace Emily Prentiss. She has a 4 year old daughter named Aria. Her husband died before Aria was born. Follow her journey through being a single parent and an FBI Agent, all while she falls in love with a certain Dr.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not, nor have I ever, owned Criminal Minds, even though I wish that I did. Everything belongs to CBS!**

**Chapter 1**

Once again, I was burning the midnight oil. I had put Aria to bed at 8, and decided to finish up some housework before I started my new job tomorrow. Since Aria had been born, I hadn't worked in a formal setting. I had decided to stay home with her while she grew up. Now, I was starting my new job at the BAU in only a few more hours. Some might say I'm a genius. I hate that word. I just happen to have Bachelor's degrees in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice. No big deal. Also, there's the fact that I'm only 27, and I graduated college when I was 22, finishing a triple major in 4 years.

I got married to Benjamin Parker right after graduation, and when I found out I was pregnant, Ben and I were so excited. When I was 4 months pregnant, Ben went to the grocery store to pick up some ice cream. He never came home. A man walked in the doors, shot everyone in the store, and then shot himself. Ben died en route to the hospital. I had no idea how I was going to raise a baby by myself. But I did. I moved to D.C. to live with my parents for a while, and then moved to my own place when Aria was 2. 6 months ago, I got a phone call from the FBI. They had gotten my name from my previous professors. They were looking for a new agent for their Behavioral Analysis Unit. I was shocked. I didn't know what I wanted to do. Aria was in preschool, and my older sister had offered to watch Aria whenever I needed her too. But I knew that I wanted to do something that mattered, even if I had some ulterior motives. Deep down, I wanted to catch the people who were like that man who killed my husband. I wanted to help other families get justice. I attended the FBI Academy, and after 20 weeks of intense training, I was offered the job at the BAU.

I finally decided to go to sleep at 2 AM. Not a good choice when your 4 year old wakes you up at 6. "Mommy, Mommy, wake up. It's your first day of work!" Aria cheered happily. Leave it to my four year old daughter to be more excited than I was. "Aunt Alli is already here to pick me up!" she said. Crap. I jumped out of bed and Aria and I made our way to the kitchen where my older sister Allison was drinking a cup of coffee. "Morning sis," she said with smile, "Are you nervous?" "If by nervous, you mean utterly terrified, then yes," I replied. "You're going to be fine. You're the smartest person I know," Allison assured me. "I need to get ready. Can't be late on my first day," I said. I showered, and then went to my closet to find something to wear. The person that I had spoken to on the phone, a Penelope Garcia, had said to wear something dressy but casual, because today I was just going to be learning the ropes. I settled on a strapless floral print dress with a light pink ribbon belt, and a heather gray cardigan, with teal high heels. I curled my hair Taylor Swift style, and put on a little bit of makeup. Ever since I was a teenager, I never really needed to wear a ton, so mascara and eyeliner, done. I looked in the mirror.

Here I go.

**Sorry for such a short first chapter, but I am already working on the next one. Let me know what you think! Reviews please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I still do not own Criminal Minds, unfortunately. Everything belongs to CBS!**

**Special shout-out to my amazing beta Preppi101! You are spectacular!**

I was officially lost. It was almost eight, the time I had told Agent Hotchner I would arrive, and I had no idea where I was. I looked down at the map of the building that I had gotten from the front desk and kept walking. As I did, I ran into someone holding a stack of paperwork.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry," I apologized. I picked up some scattered papers and stood up; coming face to face with a plump blonde woman with glasses in outrageous clothing.

"Are you lost?" the woman asked me.

"Very much so, I'm looking for the BAU, specifically Agent Hotchner," I replied.

"Lindsey!" she happily cried.

"Do I know you?" I asked.

"Excuse me. I'm Penelope Garcia, FBI Technical Wizard. It's so nice to meet you," she replied excitedly.

"Well, I'm Lindsey Parker, but you already know that," I said slightly embarrassed.

"Well, the BAU is this way," she said as she started walking. I quickly followed. As we walked, I was attacked with a million questions, out of which I only answered a few. I told her about Aria, and she insisted seeing a picture, to which I obliged. She asked if I was married, to which I answered that my husband had died before Aria was born. I didn't mention the circumstances surrounding his death, though. I knew they would find out eventually, but I didn't want them to know just yet. As Penelope was telling me about how great it was going to be to have another girl around, we arrived in front of two glass doors.

"Here's our stop," she said. I took a deep breath, and opened the door.

I walked into what Penelope had told me was called "The Bullpen," and I was immediately met by two pairs of eyes. A blonde haired woman and a slightly dark skinned man that looked like he worked out a lot had stopped talking as soon as they saw me enter. I hesitantly walked forward, and the blonde came over to me.

"You must be Agent Parker," she said.

"Lindsey is fine," I replied.

"Well, I'm Jennifer Jareau, but you can call me JJ, everyone does," she said with a smile on her face.

We shook hands as I said, "It's really nice to meet you. And you are?"

"Derek Morgan, but you can call me anything you want," he said flirtatiously. Penelope suddenly appeared and both she and JJ hit Derek on the arm.

"Don't flirt with the new girl, my chocolate thunder god," Penelope said, smiling.

"I'm sure you're looking for Hotch. I'll show you where his office is," JJ said. I followed her up some stairs, and she knocked on a door. As she opened the door, I was surprised to see another person talking to Agent Hotchner. A man who looked a little bit older than me was seated in a chair in front of a desk, of which a man with dark hair and eyes was sitting behind.

"Sorry Hotch, but Agent Parker just got here," she said.

"Send her in. Reid and I were done anyway," he said. I walked into the office and came face to face with beautiful brown eyes.

"Agent Parker, this is Dr. Spencer Reid, Reid, this is Lindsey Parker," he introduced us. We shook hands, all the while I couldn't stop looking at his eyes.

"It's, uh, nice to meet you," Dr. Reid said.

I snapped out of my eye fixation enough to say "You too." Dr. Reid and JJ left and shut the door.

"Agent Hotchner, it's an honor to be able to work here. Thank you for giving me this opportunity," I said.

"Well, normally we would hire someone with more experience, but you come very highly recommended," he replied. I blushed.

"Well, you've passed your gun qualification with flying colors. Is there anything else I need to know?" he asked. Tell him, I told myself. He deserves to know.

"Well, Agent Hotchner, I think you should know that my husband was killed four years ago in a grocery store shooting in Philadelphia. The shooter shot everyone in the store, and then himself. I just thought you deserved to know why I'm really here. I want to prevent what happened to my husband from happening to anyone else's." I said, my eyes filling with tears.

"I knew," he said with a sympathetic look on his face.

"You did?" I questioned.

"Before we hired you, we had to find out everything about you, which included your personal life," he stated. I pulled myself together as Agent Hotchner continued, "Well, all the agents are in the conference room waiting for you to introduce yourself officially," he said with a smile.

He led me out of his office and into a room with a large TV screen and an equally large round table. JJ, Penelope, Derek, and Dr. Reid were all seated, along with an older looking man with a salt and pepper moustache and goatee.

"This is Agent David Rossi," Agent Hotchner said. The man stood up and shook my hand.

"Dave will be fine," he said with a smile. I walked to the front of the room and everyone's eyes were on me.

"Well, my name is Lindsey Parker. I'm twenty seven and I live in D.C. but I'm originally from Philadelphia." I said.

"Looks like you aren't the baby anymore Pretty Boy," Derek teased Dr. Reid.

"I graduated from college when I was 22 with a triple major in Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice," I stammered. The team members' eyes were wide with surprise.

"I also have a four year old daughter named Aria," I continued. Garcia had hooked up my phone to the big TV, and I showed them a few pictures of Aria. Everyone couldn't stop raving about how cute she was. I reached for the silver heart locket around my neck.

The locket had been a gift from Ben after we found out I was pregnant. Inside, there were two pictures. One was of me and Ben at our wedding. The other was of Aria right after she was born. Whenever I was nervous, I played with the locket around my neck. It made me feel connected to Ben, even though he was gone.

Agent Hotchner showed me to my desk in the Bullpen. I sat next to JJ, which I was happy about. Her being the only other female in the BAU (besides Penelope) made me feel closer to her. I sat down at my desk and played with my locket. I thought to myself…I think I'm going to like it here. Here I go.

**Once again, thanks so much to my beta Preppi101! Love you! This is my first fanfiction story, so let me know what you think! How many of you are excited for Reid and Lindsey to get together? And don't worry, there will definitely be some cute Reid and Aria moments later on! Plus some hardcore cases!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I still do not own Criminal Minds. Everything belongs to CBS!  
Thanks so much to my beta Preppi101!

I had been working for the BAU for two weeks with no cases at all, when one Monday morning, my phone rang at 6:30 AM.

"Hello?" I said groggily.

"Lindsey, it's Penelope. Hotch wanted me to call you and tell you that we just got a case. You're needed at Quantico immediately," she explained, extremely cheery for the early hour.

"I'll be right there," I replied.

I got out of bed and texted Aria's preschool teacher, telling her that I would be dropping Aria off ASAP. I got in the shower, and then put my hair in a messy bun. I slipped on black slacks, an emerald green v-neck top, and black ballet flats. I woke Aria up, much to her dismay. I got her dressed and did her hair in a simple French braid. I dropped Aria off at preschool, and made it to work by 7:30. I walked into the conference room and sat down, as Penelope and the rest of the team entered a few moments later.

As everyone got settled, six images appeared on the large screen at the front of the room. Even though there were both male and female faces, they all looked startlingly similar.

"In the past two years, six students from Portville, Oregon have all died mysteriously. The first victim was Carter Jacobs, age eighteen," Penelope stated.

She continued, "He was the varsity starting quarterback and a straight "A" student. He was found in a field that local teens used to party two years ago. Cause of death was alcohol poisoning. Next victim was Lanie Ford, age seventeen. She played the clarinet in the school band. She was found floating in her family's swimming pool a year and a half ago, cause of death was drowning. Next we have Bennett Cahill, age eighteen. He was the star of the school's cross country team, found hanging in his bedroom closet a year ago. Then we have Scott Sandbern and David Willmer, both age fifteen. Scott played basketball and David wrestled. They were killed in a one vehicle rollover six months ago."

"Who is the last photo of?" I asked Penelope.

"Sixteen year old Isla Foster was reported missing two days ago. She never came home from school. Her best friend's father is the local sheriff, and he called us in to investigate. His daughter has been investigating these deaths on her own for the past two years, and now that her best friend is missing, she convinced her dad to call us," Garcia said.

"What's the population of Portville?" Derek asked.

"One thousand, two hundred," Penelope answered.

"What makes these deaths so mysterious? Teenagers die every day," I asked.

"Well, first off, Carter Jacobs was Mormon, so he didn't drink. His parents tried to convince police that foul play was involved, but there was no evidence to support it, so the case was closed. Next, Lanie Ford is the state's fastest female swimmer three years running. Her parents also tried to convince police that foul play was involved, but, once again, not enough evidence. Bennett Cahill had just received a full ride scholarship to Harvard a week before his death. His parents didn't believe that he would kill himself, and the belt that was used to hang him didn't belong to Bennett Cahill or anyone in the Cahill home. Scott was driving the truck that wrecked. His older sister died while texting and driving a few years before, and his parents told police he was such a careful driver after that. And finally, Isla Foster is missing. None of the other victims went missing prior to their deaths. And, as you all can see, each victim has brown hair and brown eyes," Garcia explained.

"Having this many teenagers die in a small town in such a short time period is concerning. Add in the similarities in looks and the contradictions with the deaths. Wheels up in 15 minutes," Agent Hotchner said.

I grabbed my go bag from my desk and texted Allison to let her know that I had a case and would be home in a few days. I sat at my desk playing with my locket until JJ touched my shoulder.

"I'm heading to the jet. Are you coming?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'll be right there," I said with a weak smile.

She walked away, and I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my copy of Anna Karenina to read on the plane.

As I boarded the plane, the only open seat was across from Dr. Reid. I sat down and he looked up from his book, which I noted to be a particularly long read about quantum physics, and smiled. I had never actually had a conversation with Dr. Reid in the two weeks I had been working at the BAU. I got along great with everyone else, but for some reason, Dr. Reid and I hadn't quite become friends yet.  
I opened my book and started reading. I found classic novels fascinating, and had a collection at home.

"So you enjoy Tolstoy?" Dr. Reid asked.

I looked up from my book and shyly smiled. "Anna Karenina is actually the only Tolstoy work that I like," I said with a smile.

He laughed and said, "You know, Anna Karenina has been called the greatest novel ever written on several occasions."

We spent nearly half the flight talking about books. He also asked me to stop calling him Dr. Reid. He said Reid, Spence, or Spencer would be fine. As he rose to get coffee, he said, "Can I get you anything?"

"I'll have water. Thanks Spencer," I said with a shy smile.

As Spencer got up and walked toward the coffee, Derek immediately took his seat.

"So, what's going on with you and Boy Genius?" he asked.

"Nothing, we were just talking about books," I calmly said, trying not blush.

"Well, it looked like something from where I was sitting. I haven't seen Pretty Boy smile like that in a long time," he stated. He got up and returned to his seat just as Spencer returned.

"Your water m'lady," he said, handing me a bottle of Evian.

"Thanks," I said.

"So, what was Morgan doing over here?" he asked.

"Nothing, just being Morgan," I explained.

We settled back into a conversation, but I couldn't get what Derek said out of my head. I mean, I had only known Spencer for two weeks, but I really liked him. He was the only person who I could discuss books with without mentioning the words, "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?"

We talked a lot about Aria, and how I was taking her to the zoo when we got back from the case. Then, Spencer started spurting off some facts about how animals are treated in zoos, and before he finished, I cut him off.

"Maybe you could come. I'm sure Aria would love to hear animal facts from an expert," I said shyly.

Spencer looked surprised. "I don't know. I wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly good mother/daughter trip to the zoo," he stammered.

"You wouldn't be ruining anything. You would be adding to the fun!" I said with a smile.

"Okay. I guess I can't turn down a day out with two beautiful ladies," he said.

He said yes. He actually said yes. This could be fun. Correction, it would be fun. As the plane landed, and we were all filing off the jet, I played with my locket. My first case, here I go.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, my plan to own Criminal Minds has fallen through. I don't own Criminal Minds. Everything belongs to CBS!**

**Thanks so much to my beta Preppi101! 3 ya!**

Chapter Four

As we got off the plane, Hotch gathered us all together.

"Okay, I want JJ and Morgan to talk to the Fosters, Dave and I will go talk to the sheriff, and I want Reid and Lindsey to go talk to Kendall," Hotch said.

Spencer and I climbed into an SUV and spent the drive discussing some aspects of the case, all the while, I was playing with my locket. We pulled up in front of a seemingly normal home, and made our way to the front door. I rang the doorbell, and almost immediately, a girl with brown hair and brown eyes answered the door. I showed my credentials, and said, "Hi, I'm Agent Parker, and this is Dr. Reid. We're with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit."

"I'm Kendall Webster. Come on in," she said.

We walked into her home and she showed us into the dining room. The table was covered with photos, newspaper articles, and other pieces of paper.

"What is all of this?" I asked.

"It's everything I've collected that has to do with the case. Photos of all the victims, newspaper articles talking about the deaths, and a copy of Bennett Cahill's suicide note," Kendall explained.

"Wow," I said, slightly shocked.

We sat down at the dining room table, as Spencer and I looked over everything that she had. Sifting through the papers, I was still amazed by this girl. She was sixteen. When I was sixteen, I was worried about what boy was going to ask me to Homecoming. She was worried about solving 5 murders.

"So, what makes you think that Isla was kidnapped, and that she didn't just run away?" Spencer asked.

"She's my best friend. I knew everything that was going on in her life. I think I would've known if she was going to run away," Kendall stated matter-of-factly.

"Actually, between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth run away every year. And almost all of them leave without a trace," Spencer rambled.

"Well," I said, cutting Spencer off, "we're just really glad that you're so willing to help. Do you have any other information?"

"I think the person or persons who killed all these people had some kind of grudge against them," Kendall reported.

"So you knew all the victims?" I questioned.

"It's a small town. Everyone knows everyone. Lanie was my math tutor for a year. David and Scott were in my class," Kendall said.

"Well, thank you so much for talking to us Kendall. We have to go, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call," I said, handing her my card.

Spencer and I walked out of the house and got back into the SUV. I slapped him on the arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he yelped.

"You can't tell an emotional sixteen year old girl that her best friend vanished without a trace! Do you know how sensitive girls are, especially teenage girls? Her best friend was kidnapped, for heaven's sake!" I argued.

"We don't know for sure that she was kidnapped," Spencer pointed out.

"All evidence points that way," I said.

Just then, Spencer's phone buzzed, and he answered.

He listened for a few minutes, and then said, "Alright, we'll be right there."

"What is it?" I asked.

"They just found Isla Foster's backpack on the side of the highway," he stated.

We drove to the spot that Hotch had described. It was a part of the highway with woods on one side, and farmland on the other. We got out of the SUV and headed over towards the rest of the team.

"What did they find in the backpack?" I asked.

"Nothing that would help us," Morgan said, "We've got a notebook with math equations, a biology textbook, and an English essay on Pride and Prejudice."

"No cell phone?" I asked.

"No, but she does have one, so I'm having Garcia turn on the GPS so we can find out where she is," Hotch said.

After a few more hours at the police station, we headed to our hotel. I settled into the room that I was sharing with JJ, and just as I pulled out my phone to call Aria, JJ came into the room and shut the door very sneakily.

"So, I heard you asked Reid out on a date!" JJ said excitedly.

"It's not a date. I simply invited him to come to the zoo with Aria and me. No big deal," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"That's a date," JJ said, smiling.

I threw a pillow in her direction, but she quickly ducked, and it hit the door.

"Come on JJ, I hardly even know him," I pleaded.

"But you want to," she smirked.

"Very funny," I said.

I called Aria. She was excited when I told her that a friend of mine from work would be coming with us to the zoo when I got home. JJ and I both went to bed at around ten o'clock.

My phone buzzing woke me up at seven-thirty. It was a text from Kendall. It read, "Agent Parker: I found something really interesting. Can you come by and look at it today? I think it will really help the case!"

I woke up JJ and showed her the text. We both got up and got ready fast. I called Hotch and told him where JJ and I were going. I texted Kendall and told her that we were on her way, but I never got a reply.

JJ and I pulled up to Kendall's house at eight-thirty. We walked up to the door, and I noticed that it was slightly ajar. I looked at JJ and she drew her weapon, and I followed suit. We walked into the home, and right in the entry way, there was a pool of blood. JJ went outside to call Hotch, as I kept exploring the house. I went into the dining room that Spencer and I had just been in yesterday. Now, there were only two pieces of paper on the table. One was on a lined sheet of paper. I was careful not to touch it, but I read it. "Dad, I followed my own suspicions and went to the library. I found a hit list. It has all of the victims' names on it, including Isla's and mine. But mine is in a different color ink than the rest. I have a copy of it, but I left the original in the book in case the person came back for it. Love you, Kendall."

I looked at the copy of the list next. It had about 50 names on it, and 5 of them were crossed off. Just then, JJ joined me in the dining room.

"Hotch just informed the sheriff, and everyone's on their way over," she said.

"Look at this," I stated.

She came over and read the letter, and then the list. She looked horrified.

The team arrived and the Webster house became a crime scene. Photos were taken, and assignments were given to the team.

"Lindsey, I want you and Reid to go to the librarian and find that original list," Hotch said.

Spencer and I climbed into the SUV and drove to the library. We entered the small building, and an old gray haired man was walking around, telling a group of young children to be quiet. I showed him my credentials, and asked if we could ask him a few questions. He sat down at his desk.

"Have you seen this girl before?" Spencer asked him, sliding over a picture of Kendall.

"Why, yes, that's Kendall. She comes in here all the time," he said with a smile on his face.

"Did she come in this morning?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, she did. She called me at home at around six and asked if I could open the library up early today. She came in and sat down at a table with a huge stack of books. I just assumed she had an assignment due," he said.

"Can you show us what books she looked at?" Spencer asked.

Mr. Beedles, as we found out his name was, led us to a table towards the back of the library. It was a secluded spot from the busier parts. We saw 5 books lying on the table.

"Did she copy a piece of paper? I asked.

"Why, yes," he said, "it came out of that book." He pointed to a black book. "I have to go now, but you can stay as long as you like," Mr. Beedles said, as he walked away.

I picked up the book and was startled by the cover. I showed Spencer, and he too looked distraught.

The title was "The Life of Adolf Hitler."

"So, we have an UNSUB who is fascinated with Hitler?" I asked.

"He probably is trying to continue with Hitler's mission," Spencer stated, "I'm willing to bet that all of the rest of the people on this list have brown hair and brown eyes."

I opened the book, and a piece of paper fell out. Spencer put on gloves, and then picked it up. It was the original list.

"We'd better call Hotch," I said, getting my phone out.

As I spoke to Hotch on the phone, I couldn't help thinking, _My first case. An UNSUB obsessed with Adolf Hitler, and two girls who could die at any time. Here I go._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything belongs to CBS except for the characters I created.**

**Thanks to my amazing beta Preppi101!**

Chapter Five

As the team gathered together at the police station, Derek's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and then answered it.

"Hey baby girl, what've you got for me?" he asked.

"Isla Foster's phone was just turned on. It looks like she is at 456 Woodville Road," Garcia said.

"That's the old Turner cabin," Sheriff Webster said.

"Who lives there?" Hotch asked.

"Nathan Turner. He's 20. He graduated 2 years ago, but never left town. No one has really seen him since then. His parents were killed in a car crash a week before his graduation," Sheriff Webster explained.

"There's our trigger," Derek said.

"Garcia, get us everything you can on Nathan Turner," Hotch said.

"Alright, so Nathan Turner has a record. He was arrested two years ago for vandalizing. He spray painted swastikas on a retirement home. Other things are relatively minor. Oh, here's something. He was admitted to the emergency room a few hours after Carter Jacobs died with a broken nose and sprained wrist. Looks like Carter fought back," Garcia said.

"We need to get out there," Hotch said.

We all piled into the SUVs, and it didn't take long until we arrived at the cabin. It was in a remote part of town. The nearest neighbor was a mile and a half away. As, I put on my vest, I got nervous. What if we were too late?

The team approached the front door. Derek kicked the door in, and the first thing I saw was Kendall and Isla, hands and ankles tied, with a gun pointed at their heads.

"Ah, agents, I didn't think it would take you this long to find me," Nathan said with an eerie smile.

"Nathan, we don't want to hurt you. Put the gun down," Hotch tried to negotiate.

"I don't think so. These ugly Jews need to die," Nathan sneered.

"No one else has to die, Nathan. Put the gun down," I said.

He looked at me, and got that eerie look in his eye again. He raised his gun to me and was about to pull the trigger when another shot rang out, and he dropped to the floor. I quickly ran to the girls and untied them. They were crying and I knew that they were terrified. After all, they had almost died. They held on tight to me as I led them outside. Their parents were outside, and they ran to them.

"Are you okay?" Spencer asked me as he walked up beside me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" I said.

"Well, you did just almost get shot by the UNSUB on your first case," Spencer pointed out.

"I'm just glad we got to them in time," I said, nodding in the girls' direction.

"Me too," Spencer agreed.

The plane ride home on Friday was quiet. Spencer and I sat across from each other again, and I would steal the occasion glance at him. One time, as I looked up at him from my book, he too was looking at me. I smiled, maybe even blushed, and returned to my book, even though I hadn't actually read a full page in the hour we'd been on the plane. After a long time of silence, Spencer finally shut his book.

"So, when are we going to the zoo? That is if I'm still invited," he asked.

"Well, I was thinking we would go tomorrow, give us time to rest and everything from the case. How does that sound?" I asked.

"Great. Should I pick you guys up or…?" Spencer said.

"We could just meet at the zoo. And I could pack a picnic lunch and we could eat in the park, maybe?" I said, with a small smile on my face.

"Sounds like a plan," Spencer said, as the plane landed.

Everyone was getting off the plane as Spencer and I stood up. I grabbed my purse, quickly slipping my book in as I took my cell phone out.

"I'll call you and we can set up a time," I said.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow Lindsey," Spencer said as he walked to his car.

I headed back to the BAU for a little while since it was only noon. I really needed to get a head start on this paperwork if I was going to the zoo tomorrow. Just as I sat down at my desk, Penelope came running up, almost out of breath from running from her office to my desk.

"I had to see you before your date tomorrow," she said, taking slow, deep breaths.

"It's not a date. Why does everyone keep calling it that?" I asked.

"Because you obviously like him!" Garcia said, pointedly.

"Believe me Penelope; no one wants to date a single mother whose husband was murdered. Too much baggage for normal guys," I stated.

"But our little Dr. Reid is in no way a normal guy," Penelope pointed out.

"I would love to keep talking about this Penelope, I really would, but I have to finish this paperwork, or else I can't go to the zoo tomorrow," I said with a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to it, my little smitten kitten," she said with a glint in her eye.

I sighed, returning to my large stack of paperwork. I worked diligently, finishing in an hour and a half. I was exhausted. I drove home; only to be greeted by a four year old who had just woke up from a 2 hour nap.

"Mommy, mommy, are we still going to the zoo tomorrow?" Aria asked.

"Of course, but I do have to ask you something," I said.

"What is it?" she questioned.

"Is it okay if one of Mommy's friends from work comes with us to the zoo?" I asked, half hoping she would say no, the other half hoping that she would say yes.

Aria looked at me, and then quickly smiled, "Yeah, that would be okay," she said.

"He knows a lot about animals. I think you two will get along just fine," I said.

We proceeded to snuggle up on the couch and watch The Jungle Book, one of Aria's favorite movies.

At around eight-thirty, Aria had fallen asleep and I put her to bed, when I remembered that I needed to call Spencer and set up a time for us to meet at the zoo.

I dialed his number, and was surprised when he picked up on the first ring.

"Hey Lindsey," he said, trying to sound effortless.

"Have you been waiting by your phone for me to call?" I asked, trying so hard not to flirt.

"Uh, no of course not, I've actually been really busy with…uh, paperwork, and, uh," he stuttered.

"Spencer, I was just kidding. I was calling to talk about what time you wanted to meet up at the zoo tomorrow," I said, smiling.

"Oh, right. How does ten sound?" he asked.

"Sounds great, Aria is very excited to meet you," I said.

"Well, I'm excited to meet her too. I'll see you tomorrow Lindsey," he said.

"Goodnight, Spencer," I said, not wanting to hang up the phone, but I did.

Well, tomorrow was the big "date" as my team was calling it. Maybe it was a date. No, Lindsey, it's not a date, I told myself. You're just coworkers. I could hear Penelope's voice in my head saying "FOR NOW!" I had no idea what was going to happen between me and Spencer, but I wanted to find out. Here I go.


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up to the sound of the alarm buzzing repeatedly. I picked up my phone, and jumped when I saw that it was nine o'clock. I went to the kitchen, and saw that Aria was already awake, dressed, and sitting at the kitchen table. I smiled when I saw that she was wearing her white dress with the pink elephants on it. Elephants have been her favorite animal ever since we went to the zoo for the first time when she was 18 months old.

I had never really realized how smart she was either. The preschool teacher had called me and told me that she thought it would be smart to have Aria skip kindergarten and move straight to first grade in the fall at four years old. Her birthday was next month in July so she would be a 5-year-old in a class full of 7 year olds.

"Morning Mommy," she said with a smile on her face. I poured her a bowl of Cheerios as I began to make our picnic lunch.

"Hurry up and eat sweetheart, we're going to be late," I said.

I quickly did Aria's long light brown hair in pigtail braids. She ran to get her shoes while I quickly got dressed in a yellow and black floral print skirt, a black tank top, and a denim jacket. I did my hair in a side braid and put on a bit of makeup. I slipped on a pair of teal sandals and grabbed my purse. Aria was sitting in front of the TV watching Animal Planet, as she usually did when she was in control of the remote.

"Aria, sweetie, it's time to go. We're going to the zoo, remember?" I questioned, knowing that she did remember.

"I remember," she said, hopping up and putting her pink and white sandals on.

I grabbed the picnic basket and we headed out the door at 9:45. Thank goodness the zoo was only a ten minute drive from our house. Aria sat in her car seat reading her animal encyclopedias. People were always amazed at how well she could read for her age. We pulled into the zoo parking lot, and I could tell that Aria was getting excited.

We hopped out of the car, and made our way to the zoo entrance. As we walked, I saw a familiar face in the crowd of mothers and children. Spencer looked terrified as he stood in a swarm of toddlers. He looked seemingly normal, wearing jeans and a purple polo shirt, a look I was surprised to see. As we approached him, he finally caught my eye, and his look turned from anxiety to relief at the sight of Aria and me. I smiled.

"Hey Spencer," I said, still smiling, and slightly nervous.

I knelt next to Aria.

"Aria, this is my friend Spencer. Can you say hi?" I said.

She looked up at Spencer, studying him.

"Hello Spencer. Did you know that Great White Sharks can have 50,000 teeth in a lifetime?" she said.

He looked at her, a little stunned.

"I had no idea. How did you get so smart?" he asked, even though I knew he had known that shark fact.

"I like to read. I watch Animal Planet and the History Channel whenever Mommy leaves the remote where I can reach it," she said mischievously.

"So, you must be at least seven right?" Spencer said with a smile.

"No, I'm four. But my birthday is July 7th and then I turn five," she replied eagerly.

I smiled. Aria didn't exactly make friends easily. At preschool, she preferred to play by herself. She didn't enjoy the group activities. The other kids had made fun of her lately. The worst day was "Bring your dad to school" day back in January. She had come home crying because she didn't have a daddy. I pulled out the picture albums and showed her pictures of Ben and me at our wedding, and pictures that we had taken during the first four months of my pregnancy. It helped, but she still didn't like going to preschool.

We headed into the zoo, letting Aria lead the way. She was in her element. She pointed out everything to Spencer, telling him a ton of facts that she had learned. He acted like he didn't know anything she was telling him, but I knew that he knew. It was sweet, watching him interact with her. Aria insisted that I take tons of pictures of her and Spencer. Some were of them making goofy faces, others were simple smiles. I was content on being behind the camera, until we reached the pond.

The zoo had a pond where you could feed the ducks and geese. Spencer and I sat on a bench and watched Aria feed one goose. She said that he was the smallest, so he needed more food.

"You know, she isn't usually really good with people," I said.

"Really, I wouldn't have guessed that," Spencer said.

"She's pretty good at reading people. She really likes you," I said, smiling and waving as Aria looked back at Spencer and me.

Just then, Aria came running over, and took a seat right between Spencer and me. She started asking Spencer a bunch of questions, and then out of nowhere, we heard a new voice.

"What a beautiful little girl. You must be her parents. She looks so much like you both," an elderly woman said with a smile, "Would you like me to take your picture?"

I was about to explain, when I heard Spencer start to answer.

"That would be great. Thank you," Spencer said, handing her my camera.

I was surprised, but, nonetheless, I smiled as the elderly woman took our picture.

We didn't say anything, but Aria jumped up, and announced that she wanted to go see more animals. I took the camera back, and thanked the woman, as we walked toward the zebras. During the course of the rest of our time at the zoo, we took a lot more pictures, more including all three of us in the pictures. We went through the entire zoo twice before Aria decided she was hungry enough to eat lunch at one o'clock.

As we started to exit the zoo, Aria saw the gift shop. I had dreaded this part of the zoo. I had hoped that Spencer would keep her distracted enough not to notice it. We walked inside, and Aria immediately went towards the elephants, specifically a huge stuffed elephant that was big enough for a small child to ride on. I took that opportunity to go the restroom.

"I'm going to run to the ladies' room. Aria, stay with Spencer, and I'll be right back," I said.

I returned five minutes later, only to find Aria and Spencer standing outside the gift shop, with the giant elephant in tow.

"Mommy, look what Spencer bought me for my birthday!" she said excitedly.

I looked at Spencer, eyes widened in a mom glare kind of way. He smiled nervously. As Aria played with her elephant, I pulled him aside.

"What were you thinking?" I asked.

"She really wanted it and…" Spencer said, looking at the ground.

"And you couldn't say no to those puppy dog eyes?" I said, understandingly.

"How do you do it?" he asked.

"It's just part of being a mom. I think it's in the handbook," I said jokingly.

"Well, I am sorry. I shouldn't have bought it for her after you already said no," he said sheepishly.

"Well, she does really seem to like it. I really think you've won her over," I said, looking over at my smiling daughter.

"Thanks for letting me come today. I had a lot of fun," Spencer said.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," I said shyly.

"Mommy, can Spencer come over for movie night tomorrow?" Aria asked as she ran over to us.

"Movie night?" Spencer asked.

"On Sundays, Aria and I watch movies and eat pizza. It's a special tradition. You're welcome to join us," I said, secretly hoping he would say yes.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," Spencer said.

"But Spencer, you have to come!" Aria said pleadingly.

Here it comes. She looked up at him with those big brown eyes that almost no one could say no to.

"Uh, I'd love to come," he said, smiling.

I gave him our address in DC, and told him to come by around 5. Aria and Spencer went to the park, while I went back to the car to get the picnic basket.

I found Aria and Spencer sitting at a table across from the playground. I set the basket up on the table.

"I hope you like peanut butter and jelly, because Aria and I got a late start this morning," I said with a smile.

"Sounds great," Spencer said.

Aria ate quickly,

Aria ate quickly, and then went to play on the playground.

"So, how long have you been at the BAU?" I asked.

"Seven years, three months, and nineteen days," Spencer replied.

"That's a long time. So, I guess you've seen it all," I said.

"I guess you could say that," he replied.

"So, I guess you already know about my experience with murder," I said, tears stinging in my eyes. I pulled myself together in time to hear Spencer answer.

"Hotch told the team before he hired you. He asked if it was a good idea to put someone with your history on the team. Everyone agreed that it would help you in the job, more than hold you back," he explained.

Aria came running over, saying that she was tired, so we packed up the picnic stuff, and headed back to the parking lot. As we reached our car, Aria gave Spencer a hug, which you could tell, surprised him very much.

"I'll see you tomorrow Spencer," she said, as she climbed into the car.

"I guess we'll see you tomorrow Spencer. Thanks again for coming. Aria and I had a great time," I said, smiling.

Spencer waved his goodbyes to the both of us, and Aria and I headed home.

As I tucked Aria into bed that night, I couldn't stop thinking about Spencer. Today had been a great day. I looked through the pictures that we had taken, and couldn't help but laugh and smile. Garcia, JJ, and Morgan would probably be pestering me all day Monday until I told them about the so-called "date." But, I didn't mind. I would like to relive the best day I've had with another adult in a really long time.

He's coming over again tomorrow, I thought to myself, another "date" with Spencer Reid. Here I go.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer-I do not own Criminal Minds!**

**Season 8 started! :D Not sure how I feel about the new character Alex Blake yet though! Sorry that I haven't posted in a little while! I've been super busy with school!**

Chapter Seven

It had been a long day. Early Sunday morning, Aria decided that she really wanted to go to the aquarium, so we got ready and went. She had a blast seeing all the fish and she even got to see a Great White Shark. We got home at two, and I changed into some comfy clothes and decided to take a nap. I didn't know how long it had been until I heard the doorbell ring. I jumped up and looked at my phone. It was 5:00 on the dot. Crap, I thought. I hurried into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I was a mess. I quickly put my hair up into a messy bun, as I surveyed my outfit. I was wearing gray sweats and an FBI t-shirt. I hurried downstairs and found Aria showing Spencer our library, located in the spare bedroom on the main floor.

"Hey," I said as I entered the room, "Sorry about my appearance. It's been a long day."

"You look great," Spencer said casually. Well, as casually as Spencer could be.

"I'm going to order our pizza," I said as I stepped out of the room.

Five minutes later, the pizza was ordered, and would be delivered in fifteen minutes. I walked into the living room, only to find Aria and Spencer on the couch watching the History Channel.

"The pizza should be here in about fifteen minutes," I said as I sat in the recliner, "Hey, Ari-Bug, why don't you go get in your PJs. After the movie, you've gotta get to bed, you have school tomorrow."

She sighed and quickly jumped up off the couch. "Okay. Spencer, I'll be right back," she said as she ran up the stairs.

"You have a really nice house," Spencer said.

"Thanks. We moved here a few years ago. Before that, we lived with my parents in Bethesda," I explained.

I ended the silence a few moments later by saying, "So where does our resident genius call home?"

"D.C. Not too far from here actually," he replied with a slight smile on his face.

After about five minutes of Aria not returning, I realized she had probably gotten enthralled with another book, giving Spencer and me some more time to talk.

"So, what's your family like?" I asked Spencer casually.

"Now, that's a complicated question," Spencer replied.

"Okay then. I'll go first. My dad, Peter, was a homicide detective in Philadelphia for 30 years. He retired last summer. My mom, Katherine, was a D.A. for 25 years and retired this past spring. I guess that's where I got my interest in Criminal Justice. I have an older sister, Alison, who lives here in D.C. with her husband and two little girls. Your turn," I said with a devilish grin.

"Um, well, I'm an only child. I grew up in Las Vegas. My mom, well, she's schizophrenic. She lives in a mental hospital in Las Vegas. My dad left when I was a kid. Guess he couldn't handle a wife and son who were different," Spencer said, and I could tell it was hard for him to tell me this.

"Don't like talking about your family?" I asked.

"Not really. And I assume that you don't either," Spencer said.

"I've been through a lot. Sometimes I would rather not relive my past," I explained.

Just as I finished talking, Aria ran back into the room in her polka dot pajamas.

"What took you so long kiddo?" I asked, tickling her stomach, loving her laugh even more.

We settled in to watch the movie, Finding Nemo, Aria's choice, and we were about five minutes into it when the doorbell rang.

I paid for the pizza and brought it into the kitchen.

Spencer and Aria paused the movie, and filed into the kitchen, where they got their pizza and drinks and we headed back in and returned to the movie. Aria had seen it so many times that she could quote almost every line. Aria sat on the floor, while Spencer and I sat on the couch.

He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I've never seen a Disney movie before."

I looked at him with a shocked face. "Every kid watched Disney movies growing up. Snow White, Bambi, Pinocchio?" I asked.

To every movie, he shook his head.

"Don't tell her that," I said, nodding towards Aria, "She's seen all of them, I'm not kidding."

Spencer smiled at me, and returned his eyes to the screen.

The movie got over at 7, which meant it was Aria's bedtime. She gave him a hug before running upstairs.

"I'll be right back," I told Spencer as I followed Aria upstairs.

As I pulled the covers up, Aria asked me a surprising question. "Mommy, do you like Spencer? "

"Why would ask me that?" I asked her, with a slight smile.

"Because I like him a lot, Mommy, he is really smart, even smarter than me! And he is really funny. He even showed me a magic trick!" she said excitedly.

"Well, I like him too," I said, hoping she would just think as friends. There was just something about Spencer. I hadn't smiled this much in a really long time.

After we said our goodnights, I slowly tiptoed down the stairs to find our movie mess cleaned up. The blankets were folded neatly and tucked back into the hope chest in the corner. The array of spilt popcorn on the floor was also missing, along with the plates, cups, and pizza remnants. I found Spencer in the kitchen.

"You really didn't have to do all of this," I said with my arms crossed and a smile on my face. I didn't realize that he had been looking at the pictures on the fridge.

They were old ones. One was my first ultrasound picture of Aria. There were some early maternity pictures, wedding photos, and pictures from mine and Ben's honeymoon.

"Well, I should probably get going. Early morning tomorrow and all," Spencer said as he headed towards the door.

"Thanks for coming Spencer. I know it meant a lot to Aria. She hasn't stopped talking about you. You're becoming her new favorite person," I said, smiling.

"Thanks for inviting me. Well, I'll see you tomorrow Lindsey," he said as he reached for his coat. I didn't realize it, and reached for it at the same time. Our hands touched, and I swear I felt sparks, maybe even fireworks. It made me feel like a teenager again, and I pulled my hand away. I could tell that I was blushing like a schoolgirl, but I said my goodbyes to Spencer.

After Spencer left, I sat down on the couch and closed my eyes, only to be interrupted by my phone vibrating like crazy.

**_Four new messages_**, the screen read. One was from JJ.** _Hope you and Spence had fun on your date ;) I want all the details!_**

The next was from Penelope. _**I want to hear all about your date with our little genius tomorrow! You definitely deserve some cookies!** _

The next one was from Derek. **_Don't get mad Linds, but Garcia told me about your little date, and I don't know why you didn't tell me! I expect to get a full report!_**

The final one was from my sister Alison. **_Go you sis! Glad you're getting back into the dating world. Call me!_**

Tomorrow should be interesting, everyone bugging me about my "date." Except it wasn't really a date. Well, there was that one thing when our hands touched, but that wasn't important. We're coworkers. It would never work out. Plus, I have Aria to think about. I stumbled into bed at eleven, praying that the next morning would never come, praying for just another normal day of work at the BAU. Here I go


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I regret to inform you that I still do not own Criminal Minds! Everything belongs to CBS except the characters/cases that I have created.**

**So, what do you all think of the story so far? Hope you are enjoying reading as much as I'm enjoying writing! Rate and Review!**

Chapter Eight

My phone started buzzing at seven a.m. which woke me up.

"Hello?" I said groggily.

"Hey Linds, it's me," Penelope said, "Hotch needs you all in ASAP. We've got a pretty gnarly case."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks Penelope," I said as I jumped out of bed.

I showered and then straightened my hair. I threw on a pair of black slacks and a hot pink, short-sleeved, button up shirt with ruffles. I pulled on a pair of black flats, and hurried into Aria's room. I woke her up, which she was not happy about. She got dressed in a yellow polka dot dress and white sandals. I left her long brown hair down and put in a yellow and white flower headband. I dropped her off at preschool, and drove slightly fast to work. I got there at eight thirty, silently praying that I wasn't the last one there.

I walked into the bullpen and was immediately surrounded by JJ, Penelope, and Derek.

"So, do you have anything you want to tell us?" JJ asked.

Just as I was about to answer, Hotch stepped out of his office.

"We're ready," he said as he walked into the conference room.

I slightly smiled and shrugged my shoulders as I quickly walked up the stairs and entered the conference room. I took my seat at the round table, and soon, everyone was there. And, somehow, the only empty seat for Spencer was next to me. Now how could that have happened? He sat next to me and we exchanged smiles before Penelope stood to brief us on the next case. She grabbed the remote, pressed a button, and a picture of a smiling young woman with blonde hair and green eyes appeared on the screen.

"Well, my lovelies, you are headed to rural Nebraska. This is twenty-three year old Olga Bapkin-Moore. She immigrated to the US when she was sixteen with her father and younger brother after her mother committed suicide. She married Collin Moore two years later, they moved to Omaha, and they now have two little girls ages three and one. Last month, she was found floating in the Platte River after not picking up her girls from her mother-in-law's house after a day of shopping. Her car was found in the mall parking lot, full of bags. There were signs of foul play, but nothing was ever further investigated until two weeks ago." Penelope stated.

She pressed another button on the remote and a photo of a man with brown hair and blue eyes came on the screen.

"This is thirty-five year old Trevor Sparks, a small town lawyer. He's been married to Andrea (Toll) Sparks for ten years and they have four children ages eight, six, four, and two. Two weeks ago, he was found, again, in the Platte River after not showing up to work. The police force in Omaha considered it a coincidence until yesterday," Penelope continued.

She pressed another button and a photo of an elderly woman with wispy white hair and friendly looking blue eyes appeared on the screen.

"This is sixty-eight year old Evelyn Marx. Her husband died two years ago of a heart attack. She has 3 children, six grandchildren, and twelve great-grandchildren. Yesterday, she was found floating in the Platte River," Penelope said.

"So, we have three suicides?" Derek asked.

"Not exactly," Hotch answered, "All of the victims had gephyrophobia."

"Fear of bridges," Spencer said quietly.

"Yes," Penelope said, "All of the victims were in support groups and seeing therapists on a weekly basis."

I looked at the crime scene photos and noticed something else.

"All of them have ligature marks on their wrists and ankles," I said.

"And there's also some defensive wounds as well, on their faces and arms, more so on Trevor Lynche than the others," JJ added.

"So, someone is kidnapping these people, tying them up, and throwing them off a bridge?" I asked.

"But, there is the one common element tying all the victims together: their fear. They were all seeing therapists and going to support groups. Garcia, I want you to research and get me everything you can about their therapists and support groups. Wheels up in fifteen," Hotch said as he headed out the door.

I had hoped we would be leaving sooner, so I could avoid the questions that I knew were coming. I went back to my desk and texted Alison, telling her I was going on a case. She quickly responded: _**No problem. The girls will love having a sleepover with their favorite cousin! So how was the date? **_____ I was hesitant to respond as I saw Spencer walk by.

"Hey Lindsey, I'm going to get coffee, do you want some?" he asked.

"Sure. I would love a caramel macchiato," I said with a smile, "Thanks Spencer."

"Coming right up," he said, smiling as he walked away.

"Now, isn't it funny how he didn't offer to get anyone else coffee?" JJ said as she walked up behind me.

"JJ, did you cut your hair? It looks great!" I said, trying to change the subject.

"Don't change the subject. How was your weekend full of dates with Spence?" she asked.

Upon hearing the word "date", Derek and Penelope came running.

"Aria and I had a good time with Spencer. She really took to him. The zoo was really fun on Saturday, and then he came over for a movie and pizza on Sunday. No big deal," I said, trying to shrug off the question, "We should probably head to the jet."

I grabbed my go-bag and began to text Alison back. _It was fun. First time I've had fun with someone of the opposite gender since Ben. I don't think anything is going to happen though._ I pushed send and hurried onto the jet, taking a window seat, where I had sat on the last case. As I cracked open The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontё, when my coffee appeared in front of me. Spencer took the seat across from me as I accepted the coffee from him.

"Thanks. I needed a pick-me-up," I said.

"New read?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, I had to finish out the Brontё sisters," I said with a smile.

The plane ride didn't seem that long, and we arrived in Omaha as I reached the halfway point in my book. Spencer had already finished three books and was almost done with his fourth when the plane landed.

"So, I want JJ and Morgan to go to the M.E. and check out the bodies. Rossi and I will go talk to Andrea Sparks, and Reid, I want you and Lindsey to go talk to Collin Moore," Hotch instructed.

"What about Evelyn Marx's family?" I asked.

"Her children live out of state, so they will be flying in later this afternoon," Hotch explained.

Spencer and I headed to the SUV. As we drove to the Moore's house, we talked about the case and different possibilities for an UNSUB. We soon pulled up in front of a modest green and white two story house.

"Ready?" I asked Spencer.

"As I'll ever be," he said as we got out of the SUV and headed towards the front door.

I knocked on the door, and I could hear some little girl giggles coming from inside. As I thought about Aria, the door opened.

"Hi Mr. Moore, my name is Agent Lindsey Parker and this is Dr. Spencer Reid. We're with the BAU. We're here to ask you a few questions," I said as Spencer and I showed Mr. Moore our credentials.

"Of course, come in," Mr. Moore said.

We walked into the living room and saw two little girls with blonde hair and green eyes coloring on the floor.

"Alena, why don't you and Nastya go color in the kitchen, okay? Daddy has to talk to these nice people from the FBI," Mr. Moore said.

The two little girls smiled at Spencer and me, and then ran into the kitchen.

"They still don't really understand all of this," Mr. Moore said, "They're just so young. I don't know how to explain it to them."

"We're very sorry for your loss Mr. Moore," I said sincerely.

"Collin is fine," he replied.

"Collin, was your wife acting out of the ordinary on the day she disappeared?" Spencer asked.

"No. She dropped the girls off at my mom's house while she went shopping, like she always does on Saturdays," Collin answered.

"Had she been depressed lately; moody or anything like that?" I asked.

"Well," Collin said as he started to tear up, "A few weeks before she disappeared, we found out that Olga was pregnant. It was a really unexpected surprise, so she had been a little testy."

"I'm very sorry Collin. I know what it's like to lose someone that you love," I said, trying to reassure him.

"Was your wife seeing a therapist for her gephyrophobia?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. She started seeing him right after we got married. After what happened with her mother, it's no wonder she was scared of bridges," Collin replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When Olga was sixteen, she and her mother were driving across the Volodarsky Bridge. Her mother had found out that she had cancer. When they got to the middle of the bridge, her mother told her that she loved her, and then drove the car through the guardrail, and off the bridge. Olga was able to free herself from the car, and swim to shore, but her mother was gone when paramedics got there. She didn't talk for six months," Collin explained.

"What was the name of her therapist?" I asked.

"Dr. Rainer. His office is in Omaha. It was convenient," Collin said.

"Was she in a support group of any kind?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, she met with them once a week at the local community center. It was a support group for people with fears," Collin said.

"Thank you for meeting with us Collin. Before I go, is it okay if I get a glass of water?" I asked.

"Sure, the kitchen is straight through there," Collin pointed.

I walked into the kitchen and saw the two girls at the table.

"Hi girls, my name is Lindsey," I said with a smile.

"Are you a policeman?" the older one, Alena, asked.

"Kind of. I catch the bad guys," I said.

"Do you know my mommy?" Alena asked.

"No, but I do know that she loves you very, very much," I said, trying to hold back the tears.

I left the kitchen just as Spencer stood up and shook Collin's hand. I did the same and we left, heading back to the SUV. The ride back to the police station was quiet. I was trying to keep my emotions in check. I couldn't let this get to me, not now. When we got back to the station, the team was back together. Spencer and I told them everything from our meeting with Collin. The circumstances around Olga's mother's death were the part that everyone seemed interested in. Just then, Derek's phone rang.

"Talk to me Garcia," he said, putting the phone on speaker.

"So, my little worker bees, it turns out that all three victims were attending the same support group. It's called Facing Your Fears. It meets every Monday night at six o'clock. If you hurry, you could make it to interview the people in the group," Penelope said.

"Thanks Baby Girl. You're the best," Derek said as he hung up the phone.

"If all the victims were in the same support group, wouldn't the UNSUB have to be in the group too to know these things about them?" I asked.

"Not necessarily, but that is a really good explanation," JJ said.

"I want Lindsey to come with me to interview the people in the support group," Hotch said, "Reid, you and Morgan will go interview Evelyn Marx's children. Their plane is about to land, and you're to pick them up from the airport. JJ, you and Rossi stay here and keep working on possible motive."

I sat in my chair for a minute as everyone scurried around me to get to work. This case was getting to me, and I couldn't let it. I pushed my emotions deep inside of me, and stood to follow Hotch. Here I go.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Criminal Minds! Everything belongs to CBS except for the characters/cases/etc. that I created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

Chapter Nine

I was nervous as Hotch and I made our way to the community center. I had never been partnered with Hotch before, and it felt a lot more serious, aka scary. We arrived at the community center, parked, and Hotch began to brief me before we went in. I was to keep my eyes open to notice anyone suspicious. We walked into the building and quickly found the Face Your Fears meeting. Ten people were seated in a circle, with one woman standing in the middle of it, speaking. As soon as we walked in, and the doors banged behind us, they fell silent.

"Sorry to interrupt. My name is Agent Hotchner, this is Agent Parker, we're with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit," Hotch said as we both showed our credentials.

"We're here to ask you a few questions about some members of your group," I said calmly.

"My name is Amelia Winters. I'm the leader and founder of this group. I'm sure none of my members have anything to hide. Ask away," the woman in the center said.

As Hotch and I interviewed each person, it became very evident that people didn't really know the other members of the support group personally. All they talked about here was their fears. Each person we interviewed seemed fairly calm, obviously troubled by the news of their fellow members' deaths. After we interviewed all the members, we sat down with the leader, Amelia Winters.

"Is there anyone else in this group that has a fear of bridges?" Hotch asked.

"I'm not supposed to disclose this information, but if it will save someone else, yes. There are two other people in my group who have gephyrophobia, Leonard Hayes and Samantha Deveraux. It was the first time I'd ever had five people with the same fear. I thought it was strange. I guess I was right. Samantha isn't here tonight, but you've already interviewed Leonard. Are they in danger?" Amelia asked.

"We can't say for sure yet, but thank you for your time ma'am," Hotch said as he stood to leave.

As we were walking out, I could feel someone watching me. As I glanced over my shoulder, the man who had volunteered to be interviewed first, Leonard Hayes was staring at me. I quickly shrugged it off. I mean, wouldn't you stare at an FBI agent? But, he was the only person who I had an inkling of a bad feeling about. I turned back, and then looked again, and Hayes was gone. We got back to the police station, and as we walked in, we were met with a worried looking JJ.

"Ron and Linda Deveraux just came in. Their daughter Samantha hasn't come home from a trip to the mall with her friends. Her friends said they last saw her walking towards her car. They heard about the fear of bridges in the other victims and came right in," she said, motioning towards the conference room where two worried looking parents sat.

"She's the only person who was missing from the meeting," I said.

"What time did the friends last see her?" Hotch asked.

"Seven-thirty, she parked far from her friends, so they left before she got to her car," JJ said.

"Did the friends see anyone suspicious around?" Hotch asked.

"They said they saw a man in a green pickup truck parked close to Samantha's car. He had been in there since they entered the mall," JJ said, "They described him as a man in his mid to late forties, scruffy brown beard, and blue eyes."

"Did anyone at the meeting look suspicious?" Derek asked.

"Leonard Hayes. He is one of the two people left who has a fear of bridges. Something about him just didn't seem right to me Hotch," I said.

"But he was at the meeting," Hotch said.

"Hotch, he left when we did, at seven fifteen. I saw him," I explained.

Hotch picked up his phone and pushed the speed dial number for Garcia. She was on the phone momentarily.

"Garcia, I need everything you have on a Leonard Hayes in Omaha, Nebraska," Hotch said.

"Alright, Leonard Hayes was born to a single mother Patricia Eaton. His father left before he was born. Oh my gosh," Garcia said.

"What is it Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"When he was thirteen, his mother died. After that, he was put into the foster care system because none of his other family would take him. As a kid, he had a lot of run-ins with the law. He served a lot of time in juvenile detention, for minor things: destruction of property, vandalism, petty theft. He lived in 15 different foster homes before he finally turned eighteen and was released from the state's custody. Since then, he's had a few DUI charges, but nothing more than that," Garcia explained.

"Can you find out how his mother died?" Hotch asked.

"You bet. Okay, it looks like Patricia Eaton was on her way to work when the bridge she was driving over collapsed. She was rushed to the E.R. but died on the way," Garcia said.

"He's got a history with bridges, which could explain his phobia. Maybe he's kidnapping these people with the same phobia as him and trying to get them to face their fear, to see what it's like," I said.

"Garcia, what's his address?" Hotch asked.

"Leonard Hayes, 413 Maple Drive," Garcia said.

"His property backs up onto the river," the police chief said.

"Let's go," Hotch said.

We all piled into the SUVs, put on our vests, and drove the short distance to Leonard Hayes' house.

Leonard's truck was parked by the house and we all got ready to move in.

Derek kicked down the door, and we all entered the house. Hayes was nowhere to be found. Spencer and I decided to check out back, and as we went outside, I could see the bridge over the Platte River from the back porch. A man and a girl were on the bridge, and even from far away, I could tell that the girl was clearly distressed.

"Hotch, we've got him. He's on the bridge with the girl. We need to move in fast," I radioed.

As we moved towards the bridge, I got more nervous. What if we didn't make it in time? We stepped onto the bridge and Leonard Hayes turned around to face us. His arm was wrapped around Samantha's neck. Samantha Deveraux had a gun to her head, and was obviously panicking by standing on this bridge. She was hyperventilating, shaking, and crying.

"Please…help….me," she stammered.

"Leonard, no one wants to hurt you, but you need to put the gun down," Hotch tried to negotiate.

"She needs to know what it's like….to face her fear….you can't live like that," Leonard said as he and Samantha inched closer towards the side of the bridge.

"Leonard, we know what happened to your mother. We know that must have been hard for you, but what about Samantha's parents? Do you want them to lose their only daughter?" Derek said.

Leonard paused, the gun shaking in his hand. Samantha and he were now at the side of the bridge. One wrong move and she would be gone.

"I need to face my fear," Leonard said, and before we could do anything, Leonard let go of Samantha, pushed her onto the ground, and jumped off the bridge.

I rushed to Samantha's side. She had a few bumps and bruises, but it was better than being dead. She was reunited with her parents a short while later. All in all, this case was a victory for the BAU. We saved a girl's life.

On the jet ride home, we were all focusing on our own separate things: Spencer and I with our books, Derek with his music, Rossi had gone to get some coffee, and JJ and Hotch were looking over new cases. When Rossi came back, he sat down and cleared his throat, making us all look at him.

"Saturday night at seven o'clock, there will be a little BAU family soiree held at my home, and you are all invited. I expect you all to bring your loved ones too, kids included. I want to see all of you there. Oh, and by the way, it's a black tie affair," Rossi said as he went back to reading his own book.

"Well that sounds like fun," I said to Spencer, "I'm sure Aria will be excited that she'll get to dress up like a princess, as she calls it."

"Well then, I guess I'd better escort the queen and the princess to the ball," Spencer said with a smile.

"Spencer, you don't have to do that," I spluttered.

"It would be my honor. I will bring the carriage round at six-thirty," Spencer said, trying to do a British accent, but failing miserably.

I smiled, laughed, and maybe even blushed a bit. As I looked around, JJ and Derek were watching me, and gave me an iconic "I told you so" look.

I ignored them and delved back into my book. It was beginning to seem like Spencer might have some feelings for me. I had no idea what I felt yet, but I was thinking about finding out. The party on Saturday should be perfect. Here I go.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Criminal Minds! Everything belongs to CBS except for the characters/cases/etc. that I created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

Chapter Ten

I was slightly panicking. It was four thirty on Saturday. Two hours until Spencer was due to arrive.

After I had gotten home and told Aria about the party, she got really excited. After the jet landed, I had walked back to my desk, only to be nearly assaulted by JJ and Penelope, who insisted on taking me shopping for a dress for the party. The rest of the week flew by, with us only doing paperwork, thank goodness. Friday after work, I was dragged to a million different stores by JJ and Penelope. They made me try on a ton of dresses, but in the end, I was in love with my purchase. JJ had picked it out. It was a gorgeous deep purple one shoulder knee length dress.

As we had our "girls' night," I learned more about JJ and Penelope. I found out that a year ago, JJ had gotten married to her husband Will in Rossi's backyard, of all places. She had a four year old son named Henry. We were excited for Aria and him to meet. They also wanted to know more about me. Over coffee, I told them about growing up in Philadelphia and going to Penn State, as their first ever triple major. I also told them about Ben. I only cried a little bit. They had already known about the grocery store from their initial research about me, but I told them about it anyway. They also insisted on seeing the pictures Spencer, Aria, and I had taken at the zoo. They gasped in amazement about Spencer's "normal" appearance. They kept raving about how we would be a cute couple.

I had also bought Aria a dress for tonight. It was a black and turquoise polka dot dress that I knew she would love the minute I saw it in the store. I curled Aria's hair and left it down. It was getting so long, but she wouldn't let me cut it. I also curled my hair, applied some eyeliner and mascara, and was ready to go. I slipped on the pair of silver heels Penelope insisted that I buy because they "make your calves look hot," whatever that means. I pulled out my phone and quickly texted JJ and Penelope. _**Can't wait to see you guys tonight! I'm kind of nervous to meet Strauss though, from what I hear at the office. **___

I heard the doorbell ring, and that's when my heart jumped. I rushed downstairs. Aria was sitting on the couch, looking impatient. I ran to the door, smoothed my hair out, and opened it. Spencer was on the other side, looking slightly nervous. His eyes got big when the door opened too.

"Wow, you look great!" he said.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I said, gesturing to his tux.

"Why don't you come in? I just have to grab a few things," I said.

He came in and sat down next to Aria on the couch. I walked to the kitchen, grabbed my clutch, and examined the contents: gum, phone, money, chapstick. I took a deep breath. I didn't know why I was so nervous. Maybe it was because I would be meeting Strauss and Will and Henry and Jack and a bunch of other people tonight. Or, maybe it was because I was starting to like Spencer as more than a colleague.

I walked back into the living room, only to find Spencer showing Aria a magic trick where he "pulled" a coin out of her ear. She was, of course, fascinated. We piled into Spencer's car and made our way to Rossi's home. I was shocked when we pulled up to a beautiful home, comparable to a mansion of sorts. As we exited the car, and walked up to the door, I was still in awe. We rang the doorbell and in a few moments, Rossi was smiling at us.

"I was wondering when you would show up," he said with a smile.

We walked in, and the inside of the house was just as amazing as the outside.

"We'll be in the backyard," Rossi said, escorting us.

I held onto Aria's hand as we walked into a huge yard, with paper lanterns set up, along with one large rectangular table and a smaller table that I assumed was for the kids. As we walked out, we were immediately surrounded by people. I began by introducing Aria to everyone.

"Aria, honey, these are mommy's friends from work. This is Derek, Penelope, JJ, Rossi, and Hotch," I said introducing her to everyone.

Everyone dispersed, and I was left talking to JJ just as a man came up and took her hand, intertwining their fingers. I assumed it was Will, and I was right.

"Will, this is Lindsey Parker. Lindsey, this is my husband Will LaMontagne," she said, introducing us.

I turned to my side. "Will, this is my daughter Aria. She's about Henry's age, a little older though," I said, "Aria, can you say hi to Will?"

"Hi," she said, before running off.

I talked to JJ and Will for a bit longer, before noticing Aria's prolonged absence. I started to walk around the backyard looking for her, and I finally found her underneath a gazebo talking to someone. She was an older looking woman, with sandy blonde hair. Oh gosh, it was Strauss. It had to be. She was the only person at the party that I hadn't met. I calmly walked over.

"Aria, I've been looking for you," I said, "Sorry if she's been bothering you Chief Strauss."

"You must be Agent Parker. Is this your daughter?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am," I said.

"You should be very proud. Sharp as a tack, this one is. She and I have been discussing killer whales. It's been the highlight of my night so far, so thank you for that," she said, "Excuse me while I go talk to Agent Hotchner, will you?"

She got up and walked away, but not before turning around and smiling and waving at Aria before she jumped into a serious looking conversation with Hotch.

As I sat next to Aria under the gazebo, Derek walked up.

"May I join you," he asked, flashing his hundred watt smile.

"Be my guest," I said.

"So, how did it go with Strauss," Derek asked.

"Surprisingly well, I don't know why you guys are so scared of her," I said with a smile.

Just then, Jack and Henry ran over to us.

"Hey Aria, Rossi just set up the chocolate fountain. Wanna come check it out with us?" Jack asked.

Aria looked up at me and I gave her a nod of approval. The three kids ran to the other side of the yard, where the chocolate fountain looked to be a hit.

"So, what's going on with you and Pretty Boy?" Derek asked with a smug look on his face.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I asked, sighing.

"Because to the casual observer, it would look like something was going on, just saying," he said right before I punched him in the arm. He let out a yelp of pain.

"Dang, you small women pack big punches," he said, rubbing his arm.

I smirked at him as he walked away. I sat by myself for a while, before a new face sat down next to me.

"Mind if I join you?" the older man asked.

"Not at all," I said.

"You must be Lindsey Parker," the man said, smiling.

"Yes sir, I am," I replied, still not knowing who this man was.

"Excuse me. I'm being extremely rude. My name is Jason Gideon," he said, as my jaw dropped.

"It's an honor to meet you sir. I attended one of your lectures when I was in college, _**Entering the Mind of a Serial Killer**_. It was really amazing," I babbled.

"Thank you. I wasn't expecting David Rossi to call me and invite me to this party. I haven't seen anyone on the team since I left five years ago. I have kept in touch with Spencer though, through letters mostly. That's how I know about you," he said.

"Spencer wrote about me in his letters?" I questioned.

"Quite a bit actually, he mentioned that you had a daughter. Is she here?" he asked.

"Yes, she's right over there," I said as I pointed across the backyard to where Aria, Henry, and Jack were playing.

"Spencer's right, she is an adorable little girl. And you, you're just as beautiful as Spencer described you, if not more," he said with a small smile, as I could tell I was starting to blush.

"He said that?" I asked.

"He thinks very highly of you," Jason said.

"Do they know that you're here yet?" I asked, gesturing towards the house.

"No, I slipped into the backyard while Rossi distracted the lot in the kitchen. You're the first person I saw, and you looked lonely," he said with another small smile.

As we sat in the secluded spot in the yard, everyone began to trickle back into the backyard.

"Are you ready to go see them?" I asked.

"Only if you come with me," Jason said.

We got up from the gazebo and Jason and I walked arm in arm over to the table where the others were sitting and talking.

"Miss me?" Jason said with a smile.

Everyone looked up with shocked and surprised looks on their faces. I slipped out of Jason's arms just as an army of hugs and kisses on the cheek attacked him.

After it broke up, JJ asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Dave called me and invited me, with a little help tracking me down from Garcia, I assume," he said, as Garcia's face filled with a guilty look.

We then all sat down to an amazing dinner cooked by Rossi himself. The dinner consisted of chicken parmesan, penne, caeser salad with grated beets and carrots, and, to top it all off, for dessert, we enjoyed homemade tiramisu. We also enjoyed an amazing bottle of Chardonnay. Everything was delicious. But soon enough, the party was over, and it was way past Aria's bedtime. She fell asleep on the car ride home, and Spencer helped me carry her inside. After I changed her into her pajamas and tucked her in, I joined Spencer out on the front porch. He was sitting on the porch swing, one of the main reasons that I bought this house.

"Tonight was really fun," I said, "It was really cool to meet Will and Henry and Jack, and especially Jason. I never thought I would see him there."

"Yeah, Gideon is an amazing man. He's the reason I was put on the team. I've kept in touch with him over the years, though," Spencer replied.

"Speaking of keeping in touch, Jason said that you talked about Aria and me in your letters," I said, trying to make it sound casual.

"So, how did it go with Strauss?" Spencer asked.

"Come on Spencer, don't change the subject," I said, slapping his arm lightly.

"Okay. Yes, I did tell Jason about you and Aria. Is that better?" he said, kind of sounding defensive.

"Spencer, is something wrong? You've been acting really weird lately," I said.

"I'm sorry Lindsey. It's just," Spencer opened his mouth to continue, but then closed it again, and shook his head.

"Spencer, what is it? You can tell me anything, I hope you know that," I said.

"It's just, these past few weeks, getting to know you, and Aria, it's been really fun. I've really enjoyed it," he said.

"Well, I know that we've enjoyed getting to know you too. These past few weeks have been the happiest that I've been in years," I said, looking at him with a shy smile, "Getting this job has been my dream since I was 18, and now that it's come true, I don't exactly know what to do."

We sat in silence for what seemed like forever. It was warm outside, as July began creeping up on us. Tomorrow was the first of July, and then only six days till Aria's fifth birthday. I finally broke the silence.

"So, what was it like for you, growing up I mean?" I asked, "If that's too personal, you don't have to answer."

"No, it's okay. It seemed normal, at first. When you're four, you don't really know or understand what schizophrenia is. I thought my mom was playing games with me when we had to hide from the bad guys. My dad wasn't really around much. I spent most of my time with my mom, reading poetry and novels. My dad left when I was really young, and after that it was just me and my mom. Being the only twelve year old in a Las Vegas public high school, I got my fair share of bullying. Now, I have four P. and three Bachelor's degrees," he said.

"Which is like totally crazy," I said.

"Says the first person to graduate from Penn State with a triple major," Spencer retorted.

"Haha, very funny," I said.

Some more silence passed before my phone began buzzing. It was from Penelope. _**Having fun with our Genius? ;)**_ I laughed.

"Who's it from?" Spencer asked.

"Just Penelope, she, JJ, and Morgan seem to think that you and I are more than friends," I said, "I've been getting harassed about it pretty much nonstop."

"Same here, but you're an amazing woman Lindsey. I don't think you know just how amazing you actually are," Spencer said.

"Are you profiling me Dr. Reid?" I asked with a smile.

"You're obviously an amazing mother. Aria adores you. You've done a fantastic job with her. It couldn't have been easy by yourself," Spencer said.

"It hasn't been. A lot of ups and downs, but we've done alright. Thank you though, Spencer. I don't think you know how amazing you are either," I said.

"Don't," Spencer started before I cut in.

"You always seem to have solved the case before anyone. You are the smartest person I know, besides my daughter of course," I said with a sly grin.

My phone buzzed again, and I looked down to see that it was from my mom. _**Honey, I know you had your work party tonight, and I shouldn't say this over a text, but it's so hard to tell you. My cancer is back. The doctors say stronger than ever before. I will call you in the morning. I love you so much.**_

My eyes immediately welled with tears.

"Lindsey, is everything okay?" Spencer asked, and I could hear the concern in his voice.

I tried to regain my composure as I said, "It's my mom. She battled breast cancer for ten years. She's been in remission for four years, and we all thought it was gone, but it's back. The doctors say it's stronger than ever before. She's already so fragile. I'm afraid she's not going to make it."

I sat there, silently crying for a minute, before I fell into Spencer's arms, crying more than I had in a long time. He wrapped his arms around me, and I could hear him whisper in my ear, "Everything's going to be okay. You're going to get through this. I'm here for you."

My feelings for Spencer were at their highest point yet. My mom's breast cancer was back. Here I go.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

* * *

Chapter Eleven

My Sunday was spent with my mom and dad at their house in Bethesda. Alison and her husband were there, so Aria got to spend some time with her cousins. We sat in the family room and watched some old home movies. Tears were shed, but we tried to stay positive for my mom. She had been diagnosed with cancer when I was twelve. She battled it on and off for ten years. She went into remission right before Ben and mine's wedding. My mom was hopeful, at least she seemed like she was. Spencer had said that everything was going to be okay. I hoped so.

Monday morning came too quickly. At six o'clock in the morning, my phone rang. It was Penelope.

"Hey Linds, sorry to wake you up so bright early, but we've got a pretty bad case. Boss wants everyone in by eight at the latest. We'll be traveling, so bring your go-bag," she said.

"Thanks Penelope," I said, as I hung up the phone.

I showered, and threw my hair up into an intricate bun. I slipped on a semi-tight black sweetheart neckline dress paired with a skinny silver belt. I threw on a gray cardigan over it, and slid on a pair of black heels. I then went into Aria's room, woke her up, and got her dressed in red leggings and a white tunic with red hearts on it. I pulled her hair into a side ponytail and tied in a red bow. She put on her red sandals, and we headed out the door. Since preschool was now over, I dropped her off at Alison's before heading to work.

* * *

I made it to work by 7:45, and I was one of the first people there. JJ and Derek looked up when I walked in, and I hoped that they couldn't see past the pounds of concealer I had put on to cover up the bags under my eyes. I had basically gotten no sleep, so I was hitting the coffee machine pretty hard. I think they noticed that part. I sat down at my desk, looking at the pictures that graced it. There was a picture of Aria and me that had been taken a few days before I had gotten this job. We had a family friend take some professional pictures of Aria, and then one of her and me. Another frame on my desk showed my parents, Alison, and me at our summer barbeque. We all looked so happy. I was smiling and trying to hold back the tears when I heard JJ's voice behind me.

"Hey Lindsey, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night," I replied.

She was about to respond, but we were interrupted by Hotch's stern voice.

"We're ready," he said, as he walked into the conference room.

I nervously looked at JJ, before walking/running to the conference room.

We all took our seats. Spencer and I sat next to each other again, and he gave me a small smile. I returned it, and then my eyes fell to face my lap.

Penelope strode into the room and cleared her throat, which made everyone stop talking.

"Well, my lovelies, you are headed to Los Angeles, California," she said, as eight photos appeared on the screen.

Each girl in the photograph looked very similar. All of them had blonde hair and blue eyes, and all looked to be around the same age.

"Our first victim is nineteen year old Courtney Hart. She was a Psychology major at Cal. State. She was reported missing by her roommate two months ago, and then two days later, she was found on the side of the freeway. She had been stabbed forty-two times in the face and upper torso. No evidence of sexual assault. Our next victim is twenty year old Abigail Kensington was an Education major at UCLA. Once again, found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. She was stabbed multiple times, face and upper torso. Next is eighteen year old Aubrey Slate, a Nursing major at LA Southwest College. She was found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. She also was stabbed numerous times in the face and upper torso. Next is nineteen year old Natalie Carson, a Criminal Justice major at USC. She was also found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. Again, she was stabbed multiple times in the face and upper torso," Penelope said.

"The first and fourth victims look really familiar," Derek said.

"They should," Penelope said, "They were both interns here last summer. Courtney and Natalie were both originally from Virginia."

There was a brief silence before Penelope continued.

"Moving on, next is eighteen year old Bethany Masters, a Business major at Loyola Marymount University. Once again, she was found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. She was also was stabbed numerous times in the face and upper torso. Next is nineteen year old Melissa Painten, an Interior Design major at Otis College of Art and Design. She was found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. She had multiple stab wounds to the face and upper torso. Next is twenty year old Kaelyn Walters, a Child Development major at Whittier College. Again, she was found on the side of the freeway after being missing for two days. She was stabbed upwards of 50 times in the face and upper torso. Lastly, we have nineteen year old Olivia Mendenhall, a Communications major at Los Angeles Community College. Same M.O. as the other victims," Penelope finished.

"With that many stab wounds, these murders must have been caused by rage," I said.

"All of the victims also had ligature marks on their wrists. Also, all of the blood alcohol levels were above the legal limit," Penelope said.

"All of the victims have the same physical appearance. They could be surrogates," I speculated.

"Good thinking Lindsey. Wheels up in twenty," Hotch said, as we all began to rise.

"Wait, there's one more thing," Penelope said.

"What is it?" Spencer asked.

"Well, the day after Courtney Hart was killed, Lila Archer received an anonymous note that read "It's your fault that I had to kill her. If you would've kept your promise, she would be alive." A similar note was received after each body was discovered," Penelope said. JJ, Derek, and Penelope all looked at me, and I had no idea why. I knew who Lila Archer was. Everyone did. She was a big star in Hollywood, how could you not know her? Then I realized that they weren't staring at me, they were looking at Spencer. I turned to face him as well, and he had a semi-shocked look on his face. I had no idea what was going on, but I went back to my desk and pretended like I was oblivious. When Spencer left to go get coffee, though, I walked over to join JJ, Penelope, and Derek.

"What's up with everyone looking at Spencer when the name Lila Archer was mentioned?" I asked.

"You don't know?" Penelope said.

"No clue," I replied.

"Well, seven years ago, we had a case in Los Angeles that involved Lila Archer. She was in danger, so she needed an agent to stay with her. Spencer was the lucky one. They kind of had a little thing, but after we got back, it fizzled out. At least, I think it did," Derek explained.

I acted like that didn't bother me as I walked away, when in all truth, it sort of did. Lila Archer was this gorgeous star, who had money, fame, and anything at her fingertips. How could a single mom compete with that? I mean, sure, I'd lost all of the baby weight from Aria, and I had a pretty good figure, but I couldn't compete with someone in designer clothes.

* * *

I boarded the plane, taking my usual seat across from Spencer, who was already seated. After he had left my house on Saturday night, we hadn't really talked. I was embarrassed that I had broken down in front of him. I had brought some old family photo albums to look at while we were on the plane. As I opened the first one, Spencer cleared his throat and I looked up.

"How's your mom doing?" Spencer asked quietly.

"She's doing good, thanks Spencer. She starts chemo on Wednesday," I said, returning to my photo album. This one was from my high school years. My mom had wanted to make sure that I didn't forget anything from my younger years, so while she was sick, she scrapbooked….everything. I smiled as I saw pictures from my years on the cheerleading squad. Yes, Loser Lindsey had been a cheerleader. All four years of high school, I was on the cheer squad with my best friend Jessica. She convinced me to do it with her, and it was pretty fun. As I was flipping through the pages, smiling in spots, a hand snatched it away from me.

"What are you looking at Linds?" Derek asked as he began to leaf through it.

"Just some old scrapbooks from high school, no big deal," I tried to say casually, as I attempted to get it back from him. But him being almost a foot taller than me, I knew that probably wouldn't happen.

He started to seriously flip through it now, and he seemed rather surprised.

"Wow, Linds. You were the Prom Queen, a cheerleader, student body president, and a dancer?" Derek gasped in amazement.

The dancer part was something I rarely mentioned anymore. I had taken ballet since I was three. I continued to take lessons until I was eighteen. I could've gone on to be a professional ballerina if I'd wanted to, but I knew that I wanted something more. Still, I couldn't deny the pictures in the scrapbook.

"So, you must have been pretty popular, huh Linds?" Derek asked, or rather, assumed.

"Not really. Yeah, people were nice to me, but they usually just wanted me to do their homework. I won Prom Queen because the jocks thought that it would be a funny joke. I did cheerleading because my best friend convinced me too. The only thing I chose was ballet. I got a 4.0 all four years of high school, the only person in my school to do that," I explained.

Everyone was silent, in awe. I quietly took the scrapbook back from Derek, and began looking through it again. The rest of the plane ride went by in silence, at least for me anyway, so I texted my mom. She was telling me how proud she was of me and my career. It made me tear up, and when I felt eyes looking at me, I looked up and connected with Spencer's eyes. I quickly got ahold of my emotions, and picked up the case file. I pretended to be very interested in it, when in all reality; I still couldn't believe that I had lost my cool in front of Spencer after the party. I had to focus on this case. I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me again. Besides being worried about my mom, I couldn't fight off the feelings I had for Spencer. I self-consciously grabbed my locket. I felt like I was betraying Ben if I had feelings for Spencer.

I was knocked out of my thoughts by Hotch's voice.

"We're about to land everyone. When we do, I want JJ and Derek to interview the latest victim, Olivia Mendenhall's family and friends. Dave and I will head straight to the police station, and Reid, I want you and Lindsey to interview the first victim, Courtney Hart's, fiancé," Hotch said.

I was paired up with Spencer again, not that that was a bad thing. I took a deep breath, and realized that I was still holding onto my locket. I let it slip out of my fingers as I stood up. Spencer motioned for me to go first, and I did. My mom always said that I should "wait for a gentleman." I'm about to interview a grieving fiancé after the love of his life was found murdered. Here I go.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

* * *

Chapter Twelve

As Spencer and I made our way to Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps base located about an hour and a half from Los Angeles, we were both quiet. We arrived at the base, and met with Brigadier General Vincent Coglianese. He had one of the privates show us where we could find Sergeant Leo Wilde.

As we approached the bench where Sergeant Wilde was seated, I noticed how young he looked. We had learned that he was twenty-one, and already a sergeant, an incredible feat in the Marines. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had all been in the Marines, and he too was carrying on the family legacy. He had met Courtney in their hometown of Arlington, Virginia. They had grown up together, and when he turned eighteen, he headed straight to California. When Courtney graduated, after her FBI internship, she headed out to California State University. They were an hour and a half apart. I couldn't even imagine.

"Sergeant Wilde," I said, as Spencer and I approached the bench, "Hi, my name is Agent Lindsey Parker, and this is Dr. Spencer Reid, we're with the FBI."

We flashed our credentials as he motioned for us to sit on the bench directly across from him.

"We'd like to ask you some questions about your fiancé, if that's alright," I said.

"What do you want to know?" Leo asked.

"Was she close to anyone at college?" Spencer asked, "Did she have a lot of friends?"

"She kept to herself, mostly. She talked to her roommate, but most of her free time was spent with me. We were together every weekend, and talked on the phone when we weren't together," he replied.

"Did she have a routine? Places that she always went?" I asked.

"Before class, she went and got coffee. She always needed her coffee. Other than that, she liked to go with the flow, and see where things would take her," Leo replied.

I reached into my bag and pulled out the case file. I retrieved the photographs of the other seven victims, and handed them to Leo.

"Do any of these women look familiar?" I asked.

He shuffled through the pictures, before handing them back.

"No, I've never seen any of them before," Leo said.

We asked him a few more routine questions before he had to get back to work. We said our goodbyes, and I reached into my bag to find one of my business cards. As I handed it to him, he took it in his hand, and then looked at me.

"You're going to catch this monster, right? Leo asked with a look of pain on his face.

"I'll make sure of it," I replied.

* * *

Spencer and I walked back to the SUV in silence. We hadn't talked about what had happened on Saturday still, and I knew that we should. We returned to the police station, and it was full of chaos. Penelope was checking all of the victims' credit card statements to see if there were any overlaps. As we talked about what we found out, we did find a similarity in the victims. Each victim got coffee before class. I called Sergeant Wilde, and asked if, by chance, he knew the name of the coffee shop that Courtney went too. He told me that it was a small place called Java Jolt, and it was fifteen minutes from the school, but she said that they had the best coffee.

We talked to the rest of the victims' friends and learned that all of the victims had visited this same coffee shop, some even driving thirty minutes out of their way to go there. Hotch delegated the task of going there to interview the workers to Derek, JJ, and myself. Hotch, Rossi, and Spencer would go interview Lila Archer. I wasn't too happy, maybe even a little jealous, that Spencer was going to see his old flame. I tried to hide the fact that I was upset, but it wasn't working too well. I knew the car ride wouldn't be smooth sailing.

"So Linds, how are you and Pretty Boy doing?" Derek asked, with his classic grin.

"Derek, for the millionth time, Spencer and I are just friends," I pleaded.

"Come on Morgan, ease up on her," JJ said.

"Lucky for you, Derek Morgan can spot love a mile away. There's something in the cards for you too, I just know it," he replied.

"Whatever you say," I said in a cynical tone.

"So Linds, I hear we have a birthday coming up," JJ said in an excited tone.

"Yeah, Aria's birthday is in six days. She's going to be five. It makes me feel really old!" I said.

"Are you having a party?" Derek asked, "Because Derek Morgan is always the life of the party."

"I don't know. With work and everything else, I haven't had much time to think about a party," I sighed.

"Everything else? Is everything okay Linds?" JJ asked, and I could hear the concern in her voice.

"Just some family stuff, no big deal," I said, trying not to worry about my mom.

"Well, if you ever need to talk, we're all here for you," JJ reassured me.

* * *

As we approached Java Jolt, I soon realized that it would take us a while to find a parking spot. The parking lot was packed full. We ended up having to park a few stores down, and walked into Java Jolt. The line was almost out the door, and as we entered, I could smell the wonderful aroma of coffee and cinnamon.

We slowly made our way to the front of the line, excusing ourselves past the irritated people that looked like they had been waiting for a while. We made it to the counter, as we all got our credentials out and showed them to the young girl behind the counter.

"My name is Agent Derek Morgan; these are Agents Jareau and Parker with the FBI. May we speak to the person in charge? Derek asked.

She had us follow her into a back office, where a red haired woman sat at a desk. There was a plaque on her desk that read, "Erica Perkins, Manager."

"Erica, these FBI agents are here to see you," the young girl, Jessica, said.

"Thank you Jessica," Erica replied.

We sat down and JJ took the eight photographs out of the case file and laid them out on the desk, in front of Erica.

"Have you seen any of these women before?" JJ asked.

"Why, yes. They were regulars. They used to come in every day. It's horrible what happened to them, it really is. I saw it all on the news. Wait, do you think someone here killed them?" Erica asked.

"We don't know yet ma'am. That's why we're here," JJ answered.

"Did any of these women ever come in at the same time?" Derek asked.

"No, no two of them were ever here at the same time. They would come in a few minutes after the one before," Erica responded.

"Did they ever talk to anyone?" JJ asked.

"Well, they all did seem to talk to one of my employees a lot. He's quite the ladies' man. We've had to write him up for some sexual harassment violations, but he's been pretty good for the past few…months," Erica stammered. Her jaw dropped as she turned to look at us.

"Ma'am, we need to know this man's name," I said.

"J…J…Jared Fletcher. He's off today and tomorrow, so I don't know where he is," Erica stuttered.

We quickly said thank you and excused ourselves outside.

* * *

We speedily drove to the police station, as we pulled up, I saw Spencer standing outside, talking to a beautiful blonde. As we got out of the car, Spencer and the blonde engaged in a long hug. When we walked up to them, they quickly pulled away, as Spencer's face turned very red. Lila Archer was still as gorgeous as ever.

"Um, Lila, this is Derek Morgan and Jennifer Jareau, you met them before," Spencer said, "And this….is….a…umm…Lindsey Parker."

She shook Derek and JJ's hands and then turned to me.

"It's so nice to meet you. Spencer's told me a lot about you all," she said with a gorgeous smile.

"We were headed inside to give the team some new information about the case. When you're ready to join us Spencer," I said, as I walked into the building, followed by Derek and JJ.

We told the team what we'd found out. I quickly pulled out my phone and called Penelope, putting her on speaker.

"Speak and be heard," Penelope said as she answered.

"I need everything you have on a Jared Fletcher. He works at Java Jolt, the coffee shop that all the victims frequented," I quickly blurted out.

"All right," Penelope said, as we could hear her furiously typing, "Jared Fletcher was born Jared Neiman. He grew up in a broken home in South LA. His mother was a drug addict and his father left before he was born. He was put into foster care at the age of six after his mother was deemed unfit. He was adopted a year later, at the age of seven, by James and Linda Fletcher, now deceased. He was a straight A student, quarterback of the football team, student body president, and valedictorian of his graduating class. He has an IQ of 177. He received a full ride scholarship to UCLA majoring in Criminal Justice."

"Oh my gosh," we heard from behind us.

We all turned around, and Spencer and Lila were standing there.

"It's Jared? How could he have done this?" Lila asked, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Wait, you know him?" I questioned.

"We met in college. I was a junior, he was a freshman. I had just broken up with my boyfriend. I was on the rebound. We dated for a while, but early on, he got really possessive and clingy. He made me promise to always love him forever. I did, thinking that he wasn't serious. Right before my senior year, I got my acting break. I quit school and broke up with Jared. After that, he wouldn't leave me alone, always calling me and showing up on the sets of the shows I was on. It stopped after I got a restraining order eight years ago. I haven't heard from him since, but these letters, they sounded so much like him, I just didn't want it to be him," Lila said, crumpling into a chair, her head in her hands.

"So these women are surrogates for Lila. He's angry with her for not keeping her promise, so he kidnaps these women, and, in fits of rage, he stabs them to death," Derek said.

"Garcia, does Fletcher own any property?" Hotch said.

"Ummm… It looks like Jared Fletcher owns some commercial property on the corner of East 7th and Imperial Street, Skid Row," Garcia stammered.

"He always said he wanted to open up a recording studio," Lila said.

"This just in my valiant warriors: Leighton Kurke, age twenty, was reported missing last night. She fits the profile to a t," Garcia told us.

"Who reported her missing?" I asked.

"Her fiancé," Garcia said, "She never came home after her last college class."

"What college does she attend Garcia?" JJ asked.

"It's coming full circle, my lovelies. Leighton is currently a junior at UCLA," Garcia reported.

"What is she majoring in?" Hotch asked.

"Let me guess," I quickly said, "Music."

"Spot on Linds," Garcia responded.

* * *

We sped to the sight. As we turned on the sirens and drove down East 7th Street, people ran away, drug dealers or prostitutes, most likely. We pulled up in front of a building that looked just a little bit better than the rest of the rundown street. At least this one wasn't covered in graffiti. There was a large sign on it that read, "LA Records." Must stand for Lila Archer, I thought to myself.

We all put on our vests, and prepared to enter the recording studio. The door was already open, as we entered the building. We were in a small empty room. To our left was a small bathroom. We kept going straight, and we entered a large room with a piano and couches. Still nothing. As we turned left, there was a closed door. We all gathered around it, and Derek tried the knob. It was locked, so he did what he does best. He kicked it down, like a ninja I swear. We entered into the large control room, where, in the middle of the room, a man (I assumed it was Jared Fletcher) held a gun to Leighton Kurke's head. Her wrists were bound and she was gagged. We made a half circle around him, as he began to laugh.

"You know, this all Lila's fault right? I never would have had to hurt those girls if it weren't for that waste of space," Jared sputtered.

"Jared, put the gun down. None of us want to hurt you," I explained.

"Of course you do. That's all anyone wants to do is hurt me. My mother left me, and then Lila left me. Everyone has abandoned me when I needed them most. They need to pay for that," Jared stated.

"Jared, Leighton has someone who loves her, who is scared that she is going to leave him forever. Do you really want to do that to someone else?" I asked.

"You don't know what it's like, being alone," Jared started to say.

"Yes I do Jared. I know exactly how it feels to wake up and have the person you love gone. My husband was taken away from me five years ago. I know what it's like, to wake up to coldness on the other side of the bed. One car in the two car garage. I know exactly what you're going through," I pleaded, tears starting to form in my eyes.

"No you don't know! You don't know!" Jared screamed.

The next thing I knew, I felt a searing pain in my right arm, and then I was down. More gunshots followed, and I saw Jared fall to the ground, a bullet between his eyes. I slid my left hand to touch my right arm, and all I saw was red. I saw the team gather around me, as my vision began to get blurry, and then everything faded to black.

* * *

I woke up in a white room. It was light outside, and I could see the sun shining. I looked to my left, and saw Spencer asleep in a chair. As I smiled, a doctor walked in.

"Welcome back Lindsey," the doctor said, "My name is Doctor Carrigan."

"What happened?" I asked, not really able to remember.

"You were shot, but lucky for you, it was just a deep flesh wound. You lost quite a bit of blood, but your team got you here just in time. You should be out of here later today," the doctor said.

A nurse walked in just then.

"Doctor, there are a lot of angry people in the waiting room. Can they come in?" she asked.

"Oh yes. Lindsey, you have quite the impressive team. That man," he motioned to Spencer, "hasn't left your side since you got here, and the rest of your team has been in the waiting room for the past few hours."

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's eight o'clock. You've been under sedation for most of the night. You needed your rest. We were able to repair the injuries without difficulty. We'll give you two a few minutes before we send the rest of them in," the doctor said, motioning to Spencer, before he and the nurse left.

The team had gone to Skid Row at six o'clock at night. I'd been asleep for fourteen hours.

I sat up and reached over and shook Spencer's shoulder. He jumped and then looked at me.

"Lindsey, you're awake!" he exclaimed, "How do you feel?"

"Sore, but I'll live," I said with a smile, "How's Leighton?"

"Returned safely to the arms of her fiancé," Spencer said, rather proudly.

"And Lila?" I asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"She's doing better. I went and saw them last night, to break the news about Jared," he replied.

"Them?" I questioned.

"Lila and her husband Patrick. You know, Patrick Hough, the movie star? Yeah, they got married last year," Spencer explained.

"Oh," I said, my face turning slightly pink from embarrassment.

"Why do you ask?" Spencer questioned.

"Just curious. She was part of the case after all," I tried to cover my tracks.

"Really? If I didn't know any better, I would sense some jealousy in the air," Spencer said, with a great imitation of the Derek Morgan smile.

"Spencer Reid, you are the smartest person I've ever met, but sometimes, you can be a real jerk," I said, slightly shoving his arm.

My hand started to fall down his arm, and his hand swooped down and he took my hand in his.

"Everything's going to be okay. I'm here for you if you ever need anything," he said, looking in my eyes.

And then, of course, to ruin the moment, the team came bustling in. Our hands jerked apart, and everyone seemed to not notice. They were all fussing over me, giving me hugs and kisses on the cheek. But I still couldn't believe what had just happened with Spencer. When our hands touched, it was like the first time all over again: fireworks. So, now I'm officially starting to fall for my coworker, I was just shot by a crazy serial killer, my mother is starting chemotherapy tomorrow, and I don't know if I've fully gotten over my husband's death. Here I go.

* * *

**_Longest chapter yet! What do you think? I was debating about whether Lindsey should get shot or not, but in the end, I thought it would make for some cute Lindsey/Reid hospital scenes, which I hope it did! Please review and let me know what you would like to see in future chapters! Love you all!_**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

Wednesday came, and I sat in the hospital cafeteria with my sister. Her husband was kind enough to take the all the girls to the park for the day so the Alison and I could be here with mom. The chemo had gone well, as good as it could have. It would take a few hours for the treatment to be finished, and mom had told us, well forced us, to leave and get something to eat.

"So, how are you feeling?" Alison asked. I had told her about getting shot after I got home from the hospital. Spencer had been kind enough to see me home.

"Better, just a little sore," I replied.

"Is something wrong? You've been really quiet today," Alison stated.

I had been holding in these emotions for so long, they just exploded out. I started crying and my sister took me in her arms, careful of my right arm.

"It's Spencer. In the hospital, he took my hand and told me he'd always be there for me. Something just felt right about it. I don't know how to explain it. I've barely known him a month and I'm already falling for him. How could I be so stupid?" I said, through the tears.

"You're not stupid. You're human. It's been five years. Ben would want you and Aria to be happy. He wouldn't want you to be miserable and feeling guilty about liking someone again," Alison said.

"But I do feel guilty," I said, grabbing the locket around my neck.

"You shouldn't," Ali reassured me.

"How can I not? I vowed to love Ben forever. How can I do that when I'm dating someone else?" I asked.

"Like I said, Ben would want you to be happy and move on. It's been five years, sis," she said with a sympathetic look.

"Well, I won't even have to worry about it, because he's not going to ask me out," I said.

"How do you know that?" Ali asked.

"We work together. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want a relationship to get in the way of that. Plus, who would want to be with a single mom when they could have anyone?" I related.

"He would be crazy not to like you. I saw those pictures from the zoo. He likes you. You'll see. And you said he was great with Aria right?" Ali said excitedly.

"I think she might like him more than she likes me," I said with a smile, my first of the day.

* * *

I got to work around three, a little later than what I'd told Hotch, but I'd stayed with my mom a bit longer than I'd thought I would. I walked into the bullpen, and everyone's eyes were on me. I had only told Hotch and Spencer about my mom. I didn't have the courage to tell everyone else just yet. I took my seat and JJ and Derek quickly made their way over to me.

"So where have you been Linds?" Derek asked.

"Just had some things I had to take care of, no big deal," I said, brushing off the question, "So what have you guys been up to today?"

"Paperwork, piles and piles of paperwork. You're lucky, we gave your stack to Pretty Boy," Derek said with his signature smile.

"You guys didn't have to do that," I said, with an exasperated voice.

"It's okay. He got both stacks done before I even started mine," JJ laughed.

"Of course he did," I said with a smile. Just thinking about Spencer made me smile.

I spent the next few hours doing what little paperwork the team had left for me to do. I was so engrossed with it that I didn't even realize that Spencer was standing next to my chair. I didn't mean to, but I jumped slightly when I noticed him.

"Sorry, did I...I scare you?" Spencer said, and I could sense a worried tone in his voice.

"No, I was just spacing off. I finished my paperwork an hour ago, and I've just been sitting here, thinking," I said with a small smile.

"How's your mom doing?" Spencer asked, as he sat down in a chair next to me.

"Okay, I guess. The side effects of chemo are hitting her pretty hard. That's why I was a little bit late today," I explained.

"I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do, just let me know," he said sympathetically.

"Thanks Spencer," I said with a small smile.

I started packing up my stuff to go, getting ready to ride the bus back home, a rarity for me.

"I'll walk you to your car," Spencer said, jumping up from his car.

"I actually took the bus this morning. It ran right past the hospital, and I'm all about convenience," I said.

"I could give you a ride, if you want," Spencer said shyly.

"You don't have too. I wouldn't want to mess up your plans," I stammered.

"I was just going to head over to the bookstore before going home. You're welcome to join me, if you're not busy," he replied.

I thought about this for a minute. Aria was still at Ali's, having a blast as usual, and I knew Ali would tell me to go.

"That would be great," I said with a smile, "I could use a new book or two."

As I finished gathering my stuff, Spencer and I began to walk out together, as he told me about a new theory scientists were trying to prove. The looks we got from the team were telling, as I saw Derek with his signature smile and thumbs up and JJ and Penelope with the classic "I told you so" look.

* * *

The drive to the bookstore, surprisingly, wasn't silent. Spencer and I actually talked a lot. It felt so easy to talk to him, more than usual. Although, I was very worried about doing something embarrassing, thank goodness, I hadn't yet.

We parked in front of a hole-in-the-wall type place with a sign that read, "Treasure Trove."

"Cheesy name, I know, but they have the best books in town," Spencer said with a smile as he held the door open for me.

I was greeted by the smell of dust and book pages, a smell I found comforting. I started moving through the aisles as Spencer talked to the person at the counter. I walked past an antique mirror and surveyed my reflection. I was wearing jeans, brown boots with a heel to help out my small stature, a white button up collared shirt, and a grey and white striped cardigan. I slightly winced as I moved my right arm. The pain came and went, and the doctors had given me pain meds, but I hadn't been taking them. The scar looked pretty gnarly too, but I was trying to forget about it all. I had so much going on. Tomorrow was the fourth of July, and Aria's birthday was right around the corner and I had nothing planned.

I kept meandering through the aisles until I found a book on the ground. I reached down, picked it up, and dusted off the cover. The title was _Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson_. My favorite poet, I thought. I clutched the book tightly as I went to find Spencer. As I turned the corner, I ran right into him, knocking the large stack of books he had been carrying onto the floor.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I am such a klutz," I said as I reached to pick up some of the books. I pulled back quickly, wincing.

"Are you okay? Is it your arm?" Spencer asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"It's just a little sore, that's all. No big deal," I said, trying to change the subject, "What, are you buying out the whole store?" I gestured to his newly reassembled stack.

He gave me a look of hurt, so I quickly told him I was just kidding. Then, he began to laugh. I used my left arm to punch his arm. He shouted in shock.

"Don't judge a book by its cover Spencer. I might be small, but I pack a pretty big punch," I said with a smile.

* * *

We paid for our books. Spencer seemed pretty surprised that Emily Dickenson was my favorite poet. The book that I had chosen was a rare one, only a few in existence with the author's signature. The car ride to my house was shorter than I'd hoped.

"So, got any fun plans for the week?" Spencer asked.

"Well, tomorrow, Aria and I are planning on going to the fireworks show on the National Mall. It's a tradition," I explained, "You're welcome to join us, if you're not busy. In fact, I was going to invite the whole team today, but I forgot."

"I would love to come. I've never seen that fireworks show," Spencer said.

"So what do you usually do on Independence Day, Dr. Reid? I asked.

"I usually stay home and watch the documentaries on TV about the history of America's independence," Spencer explained.

I laughed and we made some more small talk before we pulled up in front of my house.

"Would it be alright if I came over on Aria's birthday? I got her something," Spencer explained.

"You didn't have to do that. I feel like the worst mother ever. Between work and my mom, I've been so busy, I haven't been able to plan a party," I said.

"It'll be fun, don't worry," Spencer said.

"Well, we have ballet on her birthday, but it should only be a few hours. Maybe around 5?" I said.

"We?" Spencer questioned, a Derek Morgan smile on his face.

"Aria has lessons and so do I. I take some refresher classes on the weekends. To stay in shape and keep up my level of difficulty," I explained.

"That is amazing," Spencer said.

"Well, I should probably get going. Aria will be waiting," I said, motioning to Ali's car parked in front.

"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow Lindsey," Spencer said.

"Thank you for today Spencer, it was really fun," I said as I got out of the car. I walked in the house and was immediately attacked by Ali.

"So, how was your date?" she asked.

"It wasn't a date. We went to the bookstore," I said, trying to defend myself.

"Well, did you have a good time?" Ali interrogated.

"You know, you could've been the FBI agent, not me," I said sarcastically.

"Haha, very funny. My dear sister, you like him, and you know it," she said with a confident grin.

* * *

I thought about what Ali said after she left. I did like Spencer. He was different. I knew that I had to focus on my career, Aria, and my mom right now, but I had a right to have some alone time, or Spencer time, as Ali had come to call it. As I was about to go to bed, my phone buzzed. I assumed it was JJ, answering my text about tomorrow night and the fireworks show. I was right, but I wasn't expecting the first part of the message.

**_Just giving you a heads up, you will be attacked by Morgan and Garcia tomorrow. They want to know how your "date" with Spence went. They saw you two leave together, and they are definitely going to push for you guys to be a couple. To answer your question, Will, Henry, and I would love to come to the fireworks show. We were going to do fireworks at home, but someone (AKA frazzled FBI agent mom) forgot to buy them. See you tomorrow Linds. ~JJ_**

Great, more harassment from Derek and Penelope, just what I needed. I was excited for tomorrow though. Before I went to bed, Derek, Penelope, Rossi, and Hotch had all agreed to meet us at the fireworks show. I had a long day ahead of me tomorrow. Here I go.

* * *

**Sorry it took so long for this chapter to go up. Almost two weeks! I just got really busy with school, but since I didn't have it today, I had some time to finish it up. Let me know what you guys think in the reviews! If you have any input, ideas, or suggestions for future chapters, let me know!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

I woke up the next morning, bright and early. I hadn't received a call from Penelope, so there wasn't a case. We would more than likely be doing paperwork and consulting today. I quickly showered and curled my hair. Feeling patriotic, I put on a navy blue and white polka dot dress, a navy blue cardigan, a chunky red belt, and red heels. I woke up Aria, and got her dressed in a navy blue dress with white stars and red straps with red bows. She slipped on red sandals, and I put her hair into a high pony tail with an American flag bow. She was very excited to see everyone tonight. She couldn't wait to see Spencer again. He was all she would talk about. I was finally able to get her out the door and in the car, where we spent the duration of the drive talking about what the 4th of July symbolized. Aria wanted to learn as much as she could so she could tell others. I dropped her off at Ali's house, where I was informed they would be going to the movies and ice cream. I gave Aria a quick hug and kiss before I got ready for the hour long drive to Quantico.

I arrived at work around seven-thirty, earlier than I normally would get there. I wasn't the only early bird. I walked into the bullpen and saw Hotch sitting in his office. He nodded at me through his window and I smiled back. I sat down at my desk, slightly taken aback by the amount of paperwork left on it. Nevertheless, I dived into the stack. Before I knew it, an hour and a half had passed, and everyone finally began to trickle in. I was almost done with my stack, while everyone else moaned and groaned about theirs. I finished my paperwork, and decided to go visit Penelope in her "Cave of Wonders," as she liked to call it. I stood up from my desk, and began walking to the doors, when I was blockaded by none other than Derek Morgan himself.

"So Linds, how was your date yesterday?" he asked, flashing me his signature smile.

"For the last time Derek, it wasn't a date. He gave me a ride home, and on the way, we stopped at the bookstore. End of story," I said as I maneuvered around him and walked to Penelope's office. As I walked in, I noticed all of the colorful items and pictures that were strategically placed around the room. I knocked on the open door before Penelope's smile welcomed me in.

"Well, if it isn't the Smitten Kitten finally coming to visit me in my lair," she said with a grin.

"Very funny," I said as I sat down next to her.

"So, how is our young doctor doing?" she asked, with a sly look on her face.

"I assume that he's fine. We haven't talked since yesterday," I answered.

"So, are you excited for our little get together tonight?" Penelope asked.

"Well, of course. I am the one who thought of the idea. Just thought it would be nice for us all to be together, not all alone, you know?" I questioned.

"Well, I know I'll have a good time. I can't wait to see that adorable daughter of yours again. By the way, I got her a little something for her birthday," Penelope responded.

"You didn't have to do that. I don't get it. I've been on this team for a month and you guys already treat me like family," I stated.

"With this job, we have to keep some sort of happiness around. With everything that we see, even if I don't care for it, we're helping people and that's what's important," Penelope explained.

"So, what are you doing in here today?" I asked.

"Just a little bit of research," Penelope said, as she quickly closed down some open files. I had seen a glimpse of something I recognized.

"Mind if I take a look?" I asked.

"Be my guest," Penelope said with a look of confidence on her face.

I furiously began typing and finally brought up the files that Penelope had been looking at. They were photos from some of my ballet performances.

"How….How did you do that?" she asked.

"My dad dabbled in the computer hacking industry for Homeland Security for a little while. Taught me a few things," I responded.

"Now, what were you looking at?" I asked.

"I just happened to stumble upon some of your old dance photos from your professional portfolio on some prestigious dance schools' websites," Penelope said, a guilty tone in her voice, "Why didn't you ever tell us? It's amazing!"

"It was just a hobby. I knew that I wanted to do more with my life," I responded.

"You were the best dancer in the entire country!" Penelope exclaimed, "Are you still dancing?"

"I take lessons on the weekends when Aria has her lessons. It's just refresher stuff, so I can keep up my level of difficulty. It helps me stay in shape," I explained.

"Are you ever going to perform again?" Penelope asked.

Should I tell her, I thought to myself. I hadn't told anyone yet, but I knew that I could trust her.

"You can't tell anyone yet. I haven't even decided if I'm going to do it or not," I clarified.

"I won't tell anyone. Spill the beans, sugar!" Penelope encouraged.

"The dance company where I've been training, the Washington Ballet, they want me to be the featured dancer in their showcase next month. It would mean I'd have to do a solo performance, which I haven't done in nine years," I explained.

"That is an incredible opportunity! You have to do it!" Penelope said.

"I'm thinking about doing it. I don't have much time left before I have to give them an answer though," I replied.

"Do it. You won't regret it, trust me. And I'll even get the whole team there for the performance!" Penelope said excitedly.

"Thanks Penelope. I think I'm going to do it," I replied.

I stepped out into the hallway to make a phone call to Gwendolyn Cole, the director of the dance company.

"Gwendolyn Cole," she answered.

"Ms. Cole, hi, my name is Lindsey Parker. I was contacted by your company about being the featured dancer in your showcase next month," I explained.

"Ah, yes Mrs. Parker," she replied.

"It's Miss actually," I stammered.

"Well Ms. Parker, you have extraordinary talent. We would be honored to have you perform, that is, if you accept," she stated.

"I would like to accept your offer, if it still stands," I said.

"We will need you at rehearsal almost every day until the performance. Do you have a piece in mind?" she questioned.

"I was actually thinking about doing the piece I was going to audition for Julliard with, if that's okay, ma'am," I said hesitantly.

"And what would that be?" she asked.

"Odile's Black Swan solo from Swan Lake. I still remember it. All it would take is some cleaning and refining. And about the training, I work for the FBI now. I'm out of town on a regular basis. Would it be all right if I just came in when I got the chance? I promise that I will be prepared for the performance. I won't let you down," I persuaded.

"I guess that I can make an exception. You are one of the best dancers I've seen in all my years in this business. I expect to see you soon, though. And about your diet, we don't want you eating unhealthy. All our dancers eat right and that now includes you," Gwendolyn explained.

"I understand Ms. Cole. Thank you so much. I won't let you down," I said excitedly.

* * *

The rest of the day went by rather quickly. I had a meeting with Hotch, which I had been dreading, but he told me that he was proud of how well I was doing, and hoped that I would stay with the team. I told him that I wasn't planning on leaving. I said my goodbyes to everyone. They all seemed excited about tonight. We all decided to meet for dinner before the show, so I headed home at five to get ready.

I got home and was joyfully greeted by a very excited Aria. I fixed her hair. In the excitement of the day, it had gotten very messed up. I myself changed into a pair of red skinny jeans and an off the shoulder navy blue and white shirt. I slipped on a pair of sparkly silver ballet flats and grabbed my purse before loading Aria into the car and driving to Johnny Rocket's in DC. It was a fifties-style diner restaurant that was super popular. Aria and I had never been there before, so for us it was a special treat.

We pulled into the jam packed parking lot, Aria getting more anxious by the second. We finally found a parking spot, parked, and then walked into the restaurant. It was crowded, but we were able to spot the team sitting at three different tables. Aria and I sat down at a table with Spencer and Dave. Seated at the table next to us were Hotch, Jack, Derek, and Penelope. At the table next to them were Will, JJ, and Henry. We made some small talk before the waitress came to take our orders. Dave spoke up then.

"Everyone order whatever you want. It's on me tonight," he said.

"Come on Dave, you don't have to do that," I said.

"I insist," he replied.

I ordered a garden salad and lemonade for me and a grilled cheese sandwich with fries and milk for Aria. I told her that if she was good, I would think about getting her a shake. She was very excited about that.

The food came quickly, and everyone gave me odd looks over ordering a salad. Penelope gave me a sly look. I think she figured out that I was doing the performance. What I wasn't expecting was for her to stand up and make an announcement to the whole team.

"Everyone, if I could please have your attention. Derek, could you put your cheeseburger down for two seconds and listen to me? This is important! Thank you, now as I was saying, Lindsey has an announcement for us. Lindsey, go ahead," she said, gesturing for me to stand.

I nervously stood up and tried to calm myself down. I shot daggers at Penelope, figuratively of course. I couldn't believe she'd put me on the spot like that.

"Ummm…it's not that big of a deal. I was invited to be the featured dancer in the Washington Ballet's summer showcase. Apparently, everyone loves a good comeback story," I said with a smile and an awkward laugh.

"That is fantastic Lindsey. Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Hotch asked.

"I just accepted the offer earlier today. I have a lot of work to do, though. The showcase is at the end of August," I explained.

"Well, we'll all be there to support you," Hotch said.

"You guys don't have to do that," I said.

"Yes we do, you're part of our team now, and our team is our family. We support our family," Hotch stated proudly.

"Do you guys remember when we went to Garcia's play? Now that was something. A play about a serial killer, now what could be a more perfect fit?" Derek said with his signature smile.

The rest of our time at the restaurant was filled with eating, laughs, and everyone telling me congratulations. However, Spencer seemed oddly quiet. Even Aria couldn't bring him out of his shell. To make her happier, I allowed her to get a milkshake, but not before I made sure it was the smallest one they made. I didn't need her up all night. We finished our food and headed over to see the show. It was starting to get dark now, a sign that it would start soon.

* * *

As we walked to meet up with the others, my phone buzzed. I checked to see who the message was from. It was from my mom.

**_Sweetheart, I hope you and my beautiful granddaughter have an amazing Fourth of July. I'm sorry that I won't be able to be there. This cancer is kicking me right now, but don't worry, I'll kick it right back. Do you remember when you were little? Fourth of July is and always was my favorite holiday, and we did it up right every year. I love you. ~Mom_**

I started to tear up as we reached the group. They had gotten a great spot and had set up some blankets for the kids.

"Hey, Linds, are you alright?" JJ asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I got something in my eye, that's all." I replied, putting on a fake smile. I knew that I probably shouldn't lie to a group of profilers, but I didn't want to reveal this part of my life to them just yet.

Aria sat down on a blanket with Jack and Henry as the show began to start. I remained standing, alone, behind the others. Will and JJ were holding hands, laughing. Penelope and Derek were participating in their usually flirty banter. Hotch was sitting next to the kids. And then there was me, terrified that my mom was going to die. My sister and I had just gotten the news a few days ago from my mother's doctor that it was Stage IV. They weren't sure about her future just yet. They said they had to wait and see if she responded to treatment.

As I watched the fireworks, it brought me back to my childhood, before my mom was diagnosed. She always celebrated the Fourth of July in a big way. She said that because we were free and had each other, nothing else mattered. But what if she did die? I'd already lost Ben. I don't know if I can afford to lose my mom too.

As I stood watching the fireworks, the tears began to fall. I held myself together as best I could and went over and kneeled down next to Hotch.

"I'm just going to walk around for a minute. I think the crowd's getting to me. I'll be back in a few minutes. Can you watch Aria?" I asked, glad that the darkness was slightly masking my tears.

"Of course," Hotch said, a worried tone arising in his voice.

* * *

I quickly walked away from the crowds to a bench secluded from the oohs and ahhs of the spectators. I sat down and proceeded to break down. I had to stay strong for so many reasons: my mom and dad, Aria, and work. I couldn't let my guard down there in an office full of profilers, people who could learn my entire life in a few minutes. As I cried, I heard footsteps approaching me. I slowly looked up, only to find myself looking at the one person I didn't want to see me like this: Spencer. He gave me a half smile and came and sat down next to me. He put his arm around my shoulders, and my head rested on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a quiet voice.

I told him everything: My mom's Stage IV cancer, having to be strong for everyone, and not knowing if I was good enough for this job.

"I've been on this team for a month and you've already welcomed me with open arms. You treat me like family, but I don't know if I can do it anymore. We see these dark, horrible things. How do you do it?" I asked.

"The same reason everyone else on the team does, including you, for the victories. We save people's lives. We reunite families. We catch the bad guys. We send them to prison. We get justice for people. We help people find closure that they desperately need," he explained.

"I don't know if I'm good enough to do this. How can I ever fill Emily's shoes? I heard about her. She came into your team and immediately fit in. She was with you guys through so much. She was on your team for almost six years. How can I ever compete with that?" I questioned.

"You are an amazing agent, an even better mother. You have a perspective that only Hotch and JJ used to have, a parent's perspective. You sympathize with the parents of these people. You know how they would feel. Since you've experienced loss in your own life, you're able to identify with our victims and our UNSUBs. You have had to go through so much, but I know it's only made you stronger." Spencer said.

I lifted my head up and looked at him.

"How do you do that?" I asked.

"What?" Spencer replied.

"You always have a way of making me feel better, like I matter," I explained.

"That's because you do matter. To everyone. Especially to me," he said, and even in the dark, I could see him blush.

I wasn't expecting what happened next. He leaned over and gave me the sweetest kiss on the cheek. I pulled myself back together as the show ended.

"We should probably get back. They'll be wondering where we are," I said, not wanting this to end.

We stood up and walked back over to the group. Derek, JJ, and Penelope all gave us questioning looks, but I kept on walking. Aria grabbed my hand, and then grabbed Spencer's. As we walked back to the car, I thought about how great this felt. I somehow managed to find a light in all this darkness. Here I go.

* * *

**Second longest chapter! Felt right writing it this way! I hope you like it. If you have any comments/suggestions/questions about what I write in future chapters or in past, let me know! I love you guys so much! Thank you for reading and reviewing!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would like to thank StarlightShivers, dmfrancis7, ObscureStar, Hope'sFace, ripon, justiceintheworldofhp-yearight,** **and 50ShadesofReid for your amazing reviews! Thanks so much for reviewing and I'm glad you love this story as much as I do!**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

Three days had passed, and now it was Aria's birthday. Part of me was really excited, and the other part had been dreading this day. Ben's parents were coming down to spend part of the day with us, and I hadn't gotten around to telling them about my new job yet. I had told them that some people I worked with would be at the party, which Penelope had insisted on throwing, but I never told them I worked for the FBI. They are the kind of people that think a woman should stay at home, not run around chasing serial killers.

The party was going to be at Dave's house, which he had graciously offered for us to use. I invited the whole team, my sister and her family, and Ben's parents. They had already been planning on coming, so I gave them Dave's address and told them to get there around five, which would give me an hour to think of how to tell them.

The birthday girl had picked out her own outfit today. She was wearing a short sleeved white t-shirt with pink writing that said, "Birthday Girl," a sparkly pink tutu, white leggings with pink hearts, and her pink toms. I myself had on a white eyelet lace sundress with pink sandals and a pink headband that was holding back my messy curls. We made our way to Dave's house at three thirty. When we walked in, the team and Ali's family were already there. They all fussed over Aria, telling her happy birthday and making it a big deal.

* * *

Dave's dining room table was taken over by a large stack of presents, something I didn't expect to see. We ate dinner, pizza, outside in the backyard. As everyone was eating, I went back inside to the kitchen, and began pacing. Ben's parents were to arrive anytime now and I still didn't know how I was going to tell them. As the pacing continued and I kept thinking, Dave joined me in the kitchen.

"What are you doing in here Lindsey? Shouldn't you be outside?" Dave asked.

"Ben's parents should be getting here soon," I said.

"That's great. We can't wait to meet them," he replied.

"Not exactly," I said, "I haven't told them about my new job."

"Oh, I see," Dave said.

"I don't think they'll be too keen about me chasing serial killers when, in their minds, I should be staying home with Aria," I explained, "They're old-fashioned rich people."

"So you're worried they won't approve?" Dave asked.

"I'm worried about the money," I said, regretting it shortly afterwards.

"What money?" Dave questioned.

"Every month, Charles and Sylvia send me a check to help with Aria and the house. Without it, we would barely make it by. I put most of Ben's life insurance in Aria's college fund, and I don't want to touch it. They basically use the money as an excuse to run my life," I described, "They haven't seen Aria since her last birthday, and they rarely ever call."

"You are a strong person Lindsey, stronger than a lot of people I've seen. You'll find a way to tell them, and things will fall into place after that," Dave said.

"Thank you Dave, you've really helped me a lot. I'm very grateful, and I hope you know that," I said, giving him a hug.

* * *

The doorbell rang and I tensed up.

"You'll do fine," Dave said, "I'll bring everyone inside."

I walked to the door and opened it.

"Charles, Sylvia, it's great to see you. Come in," I said, a pleading smile on my face.

"This is a nice house Lindsey. To whom does it belong?" Sylvia asked.

"A coworker of mine was nice enough to let us use it for the party. Here come meet everyone," I said, leading them into the living room.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Aria exclaimed as she ran into the room. She ran up and gave them each a hug before returning to my side.

I started around the room introducing everyone.

"Charles and Sylvia Parker, this is Aaron Hotchner, my boss, and his son Jack," I said.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," Hotch said as he shook their hands. Jack smiled up at them.

"This is Derek Morgan," I said.

Morgan shook both of their hands, basically repeating what Hotch said.

"This is Penelope Garcia," I said.

She also shook their hands as I continued.

"This is JJ, her husband Will, and their son Henry," I said.

More introductions and handshakes were made between Ali, her husband, and their girls before the only people left to introduce were Dave and Spencer.

"This is David Rossi, who graciously let us use his home as our party venue," I said.

"It really is a pleasure to meet you," Dave said, "Lindsey's told me a lot about you."

"You have a lovely home," Sylvia said, in a way that I knew was a lie.

"And finally, this is Dr. Spencer Reid," I said.

"A doctor?" Sylvia said, and I could see the glimmer of hope in her eye.

"Yes ma'am, I hold three doctorates in Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering, and undergraduate degrees in Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy," Spencer explained.

"Oh, one of those," Sylvia said, looking utterly bored.

"Sylvia!" I exclaimed, "Could you be any ruder?"

"I must say that you're the rude one, dear, you've never even told us what you and your 'team' do," Sylvia said.

The moment I had been dreading was finally here. I took a deep breath, and turned to face my in-laws.

"My team and I work for the FBI, specifically the Behavioral Analysis Unit," I managed to stammer.

"Serial killers…you leave your daughter, my granddaughter with god knows who to risk your life chasing serial killers?" Sylvia screamed.

"Ali, JJ, can you take the kids outside?" I asked.

Ali, her husband, JJ, and Penelope corralled the kids into the backyard, while World War III was about to begin inside.

"Let me guess, that's why you were in the hospital?" Sylvia shouted.

"Sylvia, I think it would just be best if we all calmed down and discussed this rationally," I said.

"I can't believe you. My only son gets killed, and then you prance around trying to get yourself killed too?" Sylvia squawked.

"Sylvia, that is not why I chose this job. I am saving people's lives and making a difference. Just because it isn't what you want me to do, doesn't mean it isn't right," I said.

"I can't believe you would disgrace our family like that. We have helped you from the beginning. We welcomed you into our family, and we love Aria," Sylvia said amid tears.

"You didn't welcome me into your family. You tried to break Ben and me up multiple times. You thought I wasn't good enough for him because my family wasn't rich. Well, you what Sylvia, money doesn't solve everything. I've learned that. And if you love Aria so much, why don't you call on Christmas or Thanksgiving? Just sending her a present and giving her money won't make her love you more," I said, getting angrier by the minute.

"You don't know what you're doing," Sylvia said, "Without our checks; you won't be able to make it."

"We'll find a way," I replied.

"Don't you want Aria to know who her family is?" Sylvia hissed.

"She knows who they are. They're right here in this room and in the backyard. My team is my family; they've been more of a family to me in a month than you have in six years. I trust them, something I can't say about you. I'm not going to let you run my life anymore, because, for once, I'm not afraid of you Sylvia. I couldn't say anything when Ben was here because he loved you more than anything, but now that he's gone, you've twisted everything around," I retorted.

Sylvia stepped up to me and placed her hand on my arm. Unexpectedly, she began to squeeze my arm harder than I would think a woman of her age should be able to.

"You will regret this. When you finally screw your head on straight, give me a call, until then, rot in hell for what you've done to my family. He's dead because of you. If he hadn't have met you, he would be alive today, married to a decent woman, not a gold digger," she said.

I began to cry, not because I was angry at her, but because of the pain in my arm.

"Let go of me," I said coldly.

"I think it's time for you to leave," Dave said, moving towards Sylvia. Derek, Hotch, Will, and Spencer followed behind him.

They had to pry her hand off of me, and when they did, you could already see the dark bruising that would be there for a while. They escorted both of them out, and when they returned, I sat on the couch.

"Thank you guys, I'm sorry you had to see that," I said, beginning to form again.

"Has she always been that violent?" Hotch asked.

"Never in front of anyone, usually it's just empty threats, I've gotten used to it," I replied.

"You could press charges. Those bruises are proof of battery," Derek said.

"I'm not going to do that. Sylvia would hire the best lawyer there is, and they would somehow twist things to make it my fault. I'm not going to encourage her like that," I replied.

* * *

I went into the bathroom and cleaned myself up. I wanted the rest of this party to go happily.

I went back into the living room, plastering a fake smile on my face, for Aria. JJ and Penelope gave me concerned looks about the bruises on my arm, but I slightly nodded at them, letting them know everything was okay.

We opened presents next, Aria's favorite part of the night. Her haul included: five hundred dollars from Ben's parents, an adorable dress from Penelope, a large coloring book from Hotch and Jack, a pair of sunglasses from Derek that matched his own (In his own words, "Now we match Little A."), a crazy soft blanket from JJ, Will, and Henry, and a large book of every species of animal in the world from Spencer. I think this, secretly, was Aria's favorite gift, but, nonetheless, she thanked everyone equally.

"Wait, there's one more from me," Dave said, as he grabbed a large, flat square wrapped gift from behind the sofa.

Aria opened it, and a real smile came across my face, and I let out a small laugh. It was a large canvas portrait of the picture the old woman had taken of Aria, Spencer, and me at the zoo. In that picture, Aria looked so happy, smiling at the camera, sitting between Spencer and me on the bench. That had been a good day.

"Look Mom, I can hang it in my room!" Aria elatedly said.

"Yes you can, Ari-Bug," I said, smiling.

We had some more small talk before I realized that we had forgotten one thing.

"I'm going to go get the cake ready," I said, walking to the kitchen.

* * *

I put the big "5" candle into the pink and white that Dave had made. It still amazed me how generous the team was. I walked into the living room, and everyone burst into a pitchy rendition of Happy Birthday. Aria didn't care, and when they finished, she blew out the candle and I went back to the kitchen to cut the cake. I was soon joined by Penelope and JJ.

"We're going to take some group pictures after we eat the cake," Penelope said with a smile.

"Shouldn't we do that before five kids eat chocolate cake?" I asked.

"Good idea," Penelope said.

We ended up taking a lot of pictures. Aria wanted a picture with each person individually, which took a while. Penelope also insisted that the team take a picture together. Penelope said it was important that we all had a keepsake. I stood next to Spencer. I had originally been standing next to Penelope, but she basically shoved me next to Spencer. Derek, JJ, and Penelope also insisted that Aria, Spencer, and I take a photo together. I picked Aria up, wary of my newfound arm injury, and she put one arm around me and one around Spencer. I knew that this would be cute photo.

Before I could protest, Penelope claimed that Spencer and I needed to take a picture together without Aria. She jumped down and ran over to Derek and Penelope and proceeded to point and laugh.

I leaned over and whispered in Spencer's ear, "Look what we've gotten ourselves into."

He smiled at me and I smiled back. _This feels right, _I thought.

* * *

The cake was a huge hit and it didn't make as big of a mess as we thought it would. Before we knew it, it was time to go home. I had already packed all of Aria's presents in the car, but Jack, Henry, and she had fallen asleep on the couch. I tried to help everyone clean up, but I was banished and told to ice my arm. For an old woman, Sylvia left some really deep bruises. I took this opportunity to go into the backyard and sit and look at the stars, something I hadn't done in a very long time. I was soon joined by JJ.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" she asked, sitting down next to me.

"Just needed some air," I replied, looking into the house, seeing Derek shove a piece of cake in Spencer's face made me laugh.

"You know, I haven't seen him that happy in a long time," JJ said, gesturing towards Spencer, "Something about you coming into the team changed everything, in a good way."

"Thanks, but I don't feel like I'm making much of a difference," I said, tightly grasping my locket, also something I hadn't done in a while, "Spencer seems to think I am though."

"It's hard to come into a team that's been together for as long as we have. But, everyone can't stop raving about how good of a profiler you are, and it's only been a month. Trust me, you've made a huge difference," JJ responded with a smile.

I slowly lifted the ice pack off of my arm, revealing the dark purple bruises. JJ gave me a look of concern.

"I thought it would be different this time. For some reason, I thought they would support my decision. They've hated me since day one," I sighed.

"Then it's their loss. They just made the worst decision of their life, walking out. But you have to move on. You can't hide in the past forever, trust me, I know from experience. You know, I wouldn't be married to Will without some very wise advice from a friend," she said with a smile.

"That's what everyone's been telling me. Move on with your life, your husband died 5 years ago, why aren't you dating anyone, trust me I've heard them all," I said, "It's just hard. I don't want to forget about Ben, but…"

"Anyone with two eyes and a brain can see the chemistry you and Spencer have. I'm going to give you the advice my friend gave me. You two would make a cute couple. You should go for him," she said with a sneaky smile.

"What kind of a guy wants a woman with the amount of emotional baggage that I have? Not to mention Aria. I don't want something to not work out and then have her lose someone in her life," I stated.

"Spencer's been through a lot too. Between his dad leaving and then Gideon leaving, his mom, and Tobias Hankel, he's had it pretty rough. I think you two can perfectly understand each other," JJ said.

"Maybe," I replied, a small smile gracing my face.

* * *

I went back into the house, preparing to leave. I bent down and scooped up Aria off the couch, a task that made me grimace in pain. I walked into the kitchen, where the rest of the team was polishing off the rest of the cake. I waved a silent goodbye and was almost to the door when a helpful hand opened it for me. It belonged to Spencer.

"It's getting late. Do you want me to follow you home to make sure you make it there okay?" he asked.

I hesitated for a moment, before looking back in the kitchen, seeing everyone nodding and encouraging me to say yes. I softly laughed.

"That would be great, thanks Spencer," I said, a smile still on my face.

The drive home was quiet. I was thinking more than anything, about a lot of things.

When we got home, I put Aria to bed, and came back downstairs to find Spencer sitting on the couch. He reached for the leather bound photo album on the coffee table.

"What's this?" he asked.

"A photo album," I replied, "It has pictures of all the people we've helped so far, the ones we got justice for. Jason suggested it."

"You talk to Gideon?" Spencer said, puzzled.

"We've kept in contact. He said it helped him realize why he did what he did," I said, "It's really helped me."

He opened the book to the first page, where I'd put in a quote by Henry Ford, "**_Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and griefs which we endure help us in our marching onward."_**

I sat down on the couch next to him as he turned the page. A lump rose in my throat as the faces of a blonde haired, blue eyed woman and her young, blond haired, blue eyed daughter smiled up at us. Spencer looked up at me confused.

"I thought you might be thrown off by that one," I said with a small smile, "They were the first people I ever helped: Katie and Makenna Langley."

"What's their story?" he asked.

"To know their story, you have to know mine," I said.

"Five years ago, I was experiencing some serious pregnancy cravings. That night it was pickles and ice cream. Ben decided to run to the store really quick to buy it, but I wanted a certain kind that was only sold at this small, specialty grocery store," I said.

"What does this have to do with them?" Spencer asked, obviously still confused.

"I'm getting there," I said, "So, that night, Joe Langley, a twenty-one year old factory worker had just been laid off due to cutbacks. His wife Katie was pregnant at the time too, and he didn't know what to do. Katie happened to have a craving then too. Joe also went to the grocery store that night."

"Oh my gosh," Spencer said, realizing how the stories were connected.

"In the store, Joe looked distressed. Witnesses saw Ben go up to him and ask him if he needed help. He pulled out a gun and shot him in the head. He started crying and then shot himself in the head as well. Joe Langley killed my husband," I stated, but this time, the tears didn't come.

"The first year without Ben was hard. Aria was born, and I was parenting all on my own. I was so angry at Joe Langley and his family, and at God. I didn't know why he would do this to me now. But, a year to the day of the shooting, I finally woke up and realized that this was exactly how Katie felt too. She was in the same situation that I was. She had lost her husband and was raising a baby by herself," I said.

Spencer sat and intently listened.

"I wrote her a letter telling her how sorry I was for her loss and she immediately wrote back. Ever since then, we've gotten together around Christmastime in Philadelphia. We host a Murder and Suicide Support Group. It really helps," I said, a smile creeping onto my face.

Spencer rested his hand on top of mine, which was resting on my lap.

"That is incredible," he said.

"You're a really great guy Spencer. I'm really grateful for all that you've done for me," I said, looking into his eyes.

He turned a little red, and even though it was dark, I could tell.

"You know, we need to do something to celebrate your big dance comeback," Spencer said.

"No, we don't," I said, trying to avoid what I knew was coming next.

"Too late, next weekend we don't have a case, I'm taking you to dinner," he said, a smile on his face.

I knew that I couldn't argue with a person who could probably give me statistics on why a date is good for your health.

I knew Monday would be crazy. We would probably have another case, which I had been anticipating. Tonight had opened my eyes. I was ready to move on with my life. I deserved to be happy. Here I go.

* * *

**_So, what does everyone think of this chapter? It's a little long, I know, but I just had so much that I wanted to pack into it! If you have any ideas/comments/suggestions for future chapters, let me know! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! I love you all! _**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank dmfrancis7, Hope'sFace, KimOfDrac, and for their amazing reviews! **

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

Monday morning came with a wakeup call at seven fifteen. I was awoken by the sound of my phone buzzing on the nightstand.

"Hello?" I said groggily, not getting much sleep the previous night.

"Hey Linds, it's Penelope. Hotch wanted me to call everyone and get them in. We have a pretty gruesome case," Penelope stated.

I got out of bed, showered, and put my hair up into an intricate bun. I slipped in some diamond studs before putting on the outfit I'd chosen for the day: a black and white polka dot peasant top, black slacks, black heels, and a white blazer. I then woke Aria up, a tedious task, and got her dressed in a purple sparkly skirt, a white shirt with a purple heart on it, and purple flip flops. I pulled her hair into a high ponytail, and we finally got out to the car.

* * *

After dropping Aria off at Ali's, I made it to Quantico by nine. I grabbed a cup of coffee before heading into the round table room. Everyone was just filing in and getting seated so I took my normal seat next to Spencer. We shared a look and a smile before Penelope began.

"The rainy city of Seattle, Washington needs our help. In the last few months, two groups of teenage hikers have gone missing, later turning up dead. The unique thing is one member of each group, a female, is found partially eaten," Penelope said.

"How do they know that it wasn't wolves or bears?" Derek questioned.

"Well, my dear man, the medical examiner found human body parts in each of the three remaining victims. In each case, the other three teens were shot once in the back of the head, execution style. The M.E. also discovered ligature marks on the wrists and ankles, along with multiple fractured bones and lacerations," Penelope continued.

"Let me introduce you to the victims," Penelope said, "The first group was from a local church youth program in Arlington, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. They went to Mount Baker National Forest, fifty-eight miles from their hometown. The group consisted of eighteen year old Shane Anderson, local thug turned youth pastor. He had a juvenile record that was sealed and expunged that consisted of shoplifting, petty theft, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Next is sixteen year old Melanie Chen. She was a straight-A student, piano prodigy, your typical brainiac. Her mother made her join the group to make friends. Next we have seventeen year old Devon Cartwright, a local basketball star. He too has a juvenile record. He was a gangbanger until Shane Anderson took him under his wing. Finally, we have Piper Williams, a sixteen year old cheerleader. She was the one found eaten. Half of her torso, all her fingers, and all her toes were missing when they discovered the bodies," Penelope said, avoiding the screen filled with graphic crime scene photos.

"How long were the kids missing before they were found?" I asked.

"They were missing for two weeks, during that time, search and rescue parties were sent out every day. Helicopters were also sent for an overhead view, but they all came up empty handed. They were finally discovered, and when they were, Shane, Melanie, and Devon had only been dead for a few hours. Piper had been dead for an estimated ten to twelve days during which time, the other members of her group ate her," Garcia said, a slightly disgusted look on her face.

"What about the second group of victims, Garcia?" Hotch said sternly.

"Right, yes sir. The second group was from Monroe, Washington. They went to the Wenatchee National Forest, eighty-two miles from their hometown. First victim in that group was Josiah Riggens, age seventeen. He was the running back on his high school varsity football team. Next up is his girlfriend, seventeen year old Caroline Wu. She was on the high school dance team and was the one that was eaten. Next is eighteen year old Matthew Tucker. He was the quarterback on his high school varsity football team. He was also student body president. Lastly is Matthew's girlfriend Jandie-Lynn Hopper, eighteen. She was the captain of the high school dance team. They were a group of friends who went on a hike as a double date. Same as the first, they were missing for two weeks, and when they were discovered, Matthew, Jandie-Lynn, and Josiah had been dead for hours, while Caroline had been dead for a week and a half. ME found the same injuries in all of the victims," Garcia stated.

"This guy must know the area really well if he's keeping a group of teenagers secluded for two weeks," I said.

"Especially since the locals can't even find them," Derek added.

"There's one more thing guys," Penelope said hesitantly, "Another group of teens was just reported missing in Washington two days ago."

"At least that gives us some time to find them," Rossi said, "If he sticks to his normal M.O. that gives us almost two weeks to find those kids alive."

"I just received the information on the new missing kids from Seattle P.D.," Penelope explained, "This group of teens is from Bellingham, Washington. They went on a day hike to Okanogan National Forest. We have seventeen year old Will Orsua, state wrestling champion two years running but he was recently expelled from school after he was caught selling drugs, real winner there if you ask me. Next is sixteen year old Kinley Torres, new to town after being placed in a foster home following her father's conviction in a string of rapes in the Seattle metropolitan area. Then there's eighteen year old Vincent Knoll, who is currently serving 200 hours of community service after vandalizing a cemetery last summer, and finally, Molly Saxton, age sixteen. She also has had some trouble with the law. She was picked up for marijuana possession early this year, but got off with a slap on the wrist after her father, the police chief Richard Saxton, spoke on her behalf."

"So all of the latest missing kids have all had some kind of experience with the law," I said, "How do we know they didn't just run away?"

"That's what we don't exactly know," Hotch said, "But we're treating them as our newest victims until we can find evidence pointing otherwise."

We finished discussing the case, as Hotch announced, "Wheels up in thirty."

* * *

Sitting on the plane thirty minutes later, I had taken my usual seat across from Spencer, who was currently engrossed in a crazy thick medical journal. I was attempting to read _Brighton Rock _by Graham Greene when my phone vibrated. I opened a picture message from Ali to see a picture of Aria, her hands covered in cookie dough and flour in her hair and on her face. I smiled and laughed quietly, or so I thought.

"What is it?" Spencer asked, finally looking up from his book.

I showed him the picture, my smile fading as I put my phone away.

"What's wrong?" he asked with general concern in his voice.

"It's hard, being away from her I mean. I miss getting to do little things like make cookies. I just don't want to miss anything in her life. Until I started this job, I'd been with her since day one," I explained.

"To her, you're a superhero. She even told me so. You're catching the bad guys, and she thinks that's pretty cool," he said with a reassuring smile.

* * *

The rest of the plane ride went by in silence. We landed, and then all headed over to the station. We entered into chaos. There were people, the families, I assumed, from all the crying. There were just a lot of people packed into a small area. After taking it all in, we were approached by a grey-haired man with dark circles under his eyes.

"You must be BAU," he said, "I'm Richard Saxton, State Police Chief here in Washington."

"Could we go somewhere a little more private to talk, Chief Saxton?" Hotch asked.

Chief Saxton led us to a conference room towards the back of the station, away from all the noise and despair.

"I'm sorry for all the hustle and bustle. The station has never been like this in the twenty years I've worked hear. Then again, we've never seen anything like this before," Chief Saxton said, "Those parents haven't left in days. They say they won't until we find the person that did this."

"So you're convinced that the latest group of kids was kidnapped as well?" Derek asked.

"I know these kids; I knew all of these kids. They're all good kids. They wouldn't just run away," he said, "Molly was scheduled to enter a rehabilitation facility at the end of the summer. She wouldn't just up and run away. I'm afraid that she ran off with these kids to go get high again."

"Chief, we're going to have to ask you to step away from the investigation. Now that you're personally involved, it would be best if we worked with the detectives and officers alone. Besides, you need to spend some time with your family," Hotch said, "How many kids do you have?"

Another perfect Hotch tactic: telling someone bad news that they don't want to hear, and then changing the subject.

"Five. Jane is twenty-one, Sarah is nineteen, Bryan is seventeen, and then Molly and Michael are sixteen, twins," Chief Saxton said, a small, sad smile appearing on his face as he looked at one of the photos on the wall.

I turned to look at the wall, and saw photos of all the officers and detectives with their families. Then I zoomed in on the Saxton family photo. It was a recent photo, I could tell. Molly was beautiful. She had long red hair and big brown eyes. All of the kids had red hair and brown eyes; you could definitely tell they were a happy family. Then, Chief Saxton sat down, his head in his hands.

"Molly was a good girl. She had straight A's and was president of the Science Club. Then, she made some new friends and got into the alcohol and the drugs. Kind of ironic isn't it, that the own police chief doesn't notice that his daughter is getting high all the time?" he said, getting choked up.

I sat down next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Chief Saxton, we're going to do all we can to find your daughter. But right now, we need you to go home and spend some time with your family. Your lead detectives should be able to help us run things while you're gone. It's just best if the people with personal ties aren't involved in the investigation, it's safer that way," I said, a reassuring smile coming to my face.

* * *

After Chief Saxton left, we gathered everyone in the conference room. The lead detective on the case, Detective Hardwicke, was going to report about the status of the investigation.

"As of now, we have no new leads into the identity of the person responsible. We have had search parties combing every inch ofOkanogan National Forest for two days, but, considering the size of the forest, it's going to take weeks to clear through all of it," he said, bringing disappointment to the faces of the BAU team.

We (the team and I) then moved in the small room where a table, some chairs and a white board with crime scene pictures stuck on it were strategically placed. The case files were piled on the table as well. We began to pour ourselves into the files, reading and rereading, trying not to miss anything. My eyes, however, kept wandering back to the crime scene. For some reason, this case seemed familiar to me, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"From the crime scene photos, we know that Piper Williams and Caroline Wu were killed in front of the group. The body hadn't been moved postmortem, according to the medical examiner. The UNSUB made the kids watch him while he killed their friend, and then made them eat her body parts. Maybe we have a Satanic Cannibalistic UNSUB on our hands?" I speculated.

"I'm not so sure," Rossi said, moving towards the crime scene photos on the board, "He slit their throats, but the cuts are shallow and appear to have been made by shaking hands in both cases."

"His first two crimes, maybe he's still getting the hang of it?" JJ guessed.

"But he's not eating them," Hotch said, "He's making the others eat them, which shows that he wants them to be as guilty as he is."

Hotch pulled out his phone and put it on speaker as he called Penelope.

_"_He who seeks the Queen of All Knowledge, speak and be recognized," Penelope answered.

"Garcia, I need you to look up any crimes involving cannibalism in Washington in the past ten years," Hotch ordered.

"That's going to be a long list sir," Penelope said hestitantly.

"Send it to us once you've got it Garcia, we're on a short timeline," Hotch said, hanging up.

"Hotch, does this case remind you of something?" Derek asked, as the team was filing out of the room.

"I know, this case and Feylinn's have some similarities, but there are too many differences for it to be a Satanic Cannabal," Hotch said in a stern manner.

As we moved into the station's break room for coffee, the lead detective ran in.

"Guys, you better come with me. They just found the missing kids," Detective Hardwicke said.

"Already?" I asked, "Are they okay?"

"Not exactly," the detective said, "This guy must know we're onto him. The kids are dead."

* * *

We piled into the SUVs and made our way to Okanogan National Forest. On the way, the team all put on hiking boots, as the crime scene was deep in the forest.

How could this have already happened? Not a few hours ago, I was telling Chief Saxton that we were going to do everything we could to find his daughter, and now she's dead. This UNSUB knows that we're investigating this. He's scared, and he dang well should be.

We arrived at the ranger station, and made the twenty mile hike to the Twenty Mile Peak Lookout, where the bodies lay strewn, the same as the other crime scenes.

I was praying silently that Molly hadn't been eaten. As I made my way toward the bodies, the team following behind me, I immediately zoomed in on Molly. She was laying on the ground, her hands and ankles bound with thick rope. A gunshot wound to the back of the head, execution style, the same M.O. I then moved to the girl who had been eaten, Kinley Torres. Her fingers, toes and legs were gone, leaving only her head and torso.

The medical examiner was on site, and the team walked over towards him.

"How long would you say they've been dead?" Spencer asked.

"It's hard to make a clear ruling, but, based on what I've seen so far, these three have only been dead for a few hours. Decomposition is in the early stages," the medical examiner said.

"And what about the other girl?" I asked.

"From what I can tell, she's been dead between twenty-four and forty-eight hours, give or take a few," he replied, a solemn look coming over him as he walked away.

"He's accelerating his timeline, which means we have to do the same. We can't let him get ahead of us," Rossi said.

We finished examining the crime scene and made the long hike back to the SUVs. A long car ride took us back to the station.

* * *

"Lindsey and Reid, I want you two to go see the Saxton family and notify them. Rossi and I will go see Kinley Torres' father at Washington State Penitentiary. JJ and Morgan, I want you two to go see Vincent and Will's families. We'll meet back here to regroup," Hotch said, as he pinned up the newest crime scene photos onto the board.

Spencer and I headed over to the Saxton's home, and as we pulled in, I noticed the several cars that were in the driveway. Spencer and I shared a look as I rang the doorbell.

A young woman with red hair answered the door, and I immediately recognized her from the Saxton family photo as Jane, the oldest.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her eyes puffy and red.

"Hi Jane, my name is Lindsey Parker, and this is Dr. Spencer Reid, we're with the FBI," I said, as we both showed her our credentials, "May we come in?"

She opened the door and led us into a large, spacious family room, where family photos were placed in every available place. The room was silent, except for the sound of sniffling noses and light sobs.

"Agent Parker, Dr. Reid, have you found Molly? Do you have a new lead?" Chief Saxton said, standing up and hurrying over to us.

"Chief Saxton, we have some bad news," I said, this being the hardest part of my job.

"No," he said shaking his head.

"I'm very sorry. We found Molly and her friends at the Twenty Mile Peak Lookout a few hours ago. None of them were alive. We're very sorry for your loss," I said, "But we are working tirelessly to find out who did this so we can get Molly some justice."

My phone buzzed, and I left the room for a moment, leaving Spencer to comfort the family.

I looked at the text from Penelope and a small smile came to my face.

**_Initial toxicology screens show no drugs in Molly Saxton's system. She was clean. ~Penelope_**

I walked back into the room and almost started crying myself as I saw the whole family in tears.

"I just received some news from our technical analyst. The medical examiner has run some initial tests, but as far as he can tell, Molly had no drugs in her system. She was clean," I said.

The whole family looked at me with somber expressions on their faces.

"Thank you," Chief Saxton said, as he showed us to the door.

As we drove back to the station, I couldn't help but feel like I had a responsibility to Molly and to the Saxton family to find the person who did this and make sure that he pays for it. Here I go.

* * *

**I am so sorry for the long wait between chapters, really I am! I have been so busy with school, choir, drama (of the boy variety), and dance team. But I hope you all like the new chapter! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Birchly, oreo1017, FutureFBI, dmfrancis7, and Hope'sFace for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen

The rest of the day went by without any new leads in the case. We got to our hotel, finally, at midnight. Because of the time difference, it was only nine back home, so when I got into the hotel room that I would be sharing with JJ, I grabbed my iPhone and called Ali. As I talked to her on the phone, I could hear Aria in the background, wanting to talk to me. Ali finally relented and gave her the phone.

"Hi Mommy," Aria said, and by the tone of her voice I could tell she was smiling.

"Hey Ari-Bug, are you having fun with Aunt Ali and Uncle Kyle?" I asked.

"Yeah, I am. Mommy, when are you coming home?" she asked.

"I'm going to be home as soon as I can sweetie, I promise," I said, trying to hide the sadness in my voice.

"Good, because I miss you Mommy," Aria said.

"I miss you too, Ari-Bug. Now, it's past your bedtime. I love you more than all the stars in the sky," I said.

"I love you more than all the leaves on the trees Mommy. Good night," Aria said before she hung up the phone.

* * *

I set my phone down on the table next to my bed before collapsing on top of it. Just as I did, JJ came out of the bathroom and laughed.

"A little tired there Linds?" she said jokingly.

"Just a little," I said, sitting up.

"How's Aria?" JJ asked.

"She's good. It sounds like she's having a good time," I said, "How're Henry and Will?"

"Coping," JJ said slightly said, "It's hard when we have to go far away."

"How do you do it?" I asked, "This job, I mean, and you have a husband and a son on top of it."

"It's really hard, trying to prioritize and balance it all, but in the end, it's worth it," JJ said, "I get to help people and get them justice, and at the end of the day, I go home to two people who love me more than anything. I'm lucky I guess."

Silence passed as we got into our pajamas and got into bed. I was just about asleep when JJ's voice awoke me from my almost-slumber.

"Spence told me you guys are going to dinner this weekend," she said, "Is that true?"

"He did ask me to go to dinner when we had a free weekend to celebrate my dance comeback," I replied, smiling.

"You like him, just admit it," JJ said.

"Okay, fine. I like him. But I don't think it could ever work," I said, "Fraternizing of agents is prohibited."

"It is, technically, but it happens all the time. Lots of agents end up together," JJ said, "Trust me, you two would be great together. And Aria adores him, and I think the feeling is mutual."

"Can I just get some sleep now?" I pleaded.

"Fine, but this isn't the end of it," JJ said, laughing.

* * *

The next morning we headed back into the Seattle police station, to try and get some more leads. As we sat in the room, talking and reading through files, Detective Hardwicke rushed in, a panicked look apparent on his face.

"Don't tell me," I said.

"Another group of kids has gone missing. They were supposed to be back last night, but never showed," he said, "Your technical analyst has the files. You should be getting them momentarily."

Just after Detective Hardwicke left, Hotch's phone rang.

"What do you have Garcia?" he said.

"Alright, this group of teens is from Olympia, Washington. They went on a day hike in Olympic National Forest and didn't return home this morning. The kids in the group are sixteen year old Jennifer Mendez, eighteen year old Carter Mason, seventeen year old Isobel Harte, and eighteen year old Ethan Davis. They are all in their local church youth group, all do volunteer work, no juvenile records, basically, they're all squeaky clean," Penelope said.

"Thanks Baby Girl, we'll keep in touch," Derek said as Hotch hung up.

As we began to process the new files, Chief Saxton walked into the room and he seemed rather flustered.

"Chief, I think you should be home with your family," I said.

"No, I have to get justice for Molly. I knew these cases were familiar, but I didn't realize it until now. I had an accident a few years back that wiped part of my memory, so all I can remember is the name: Andrew Toliver. I hope that helps you," he said before walking out.

I immediately dialed Penelope's number.

"Penelope, I need everything you have on an Andrew Toliver of Seattle," I said.

"Alright, let's see. Born into a middle class family, nothing odd really, except," she said, becoming silent.

"What is it Garcia?" Rossi asked.

"When Toliver was sixteen, he and his eighteen year old brother Mark went on a hike with Mark's friend James Laraby, Mark's girlfriend Ava Preston, Andrew's girlfriend Carly Jensen, and Sarah Toliver, their fifteen year old sister. They got lost in the forest and were missing for two weeks. When local authorities finally found them, Carly Jensen was dead and partially eaten. Members of the group told police that Carly was attacked and killed by wolves. Andrew didn't speak for three years. At the age of nineteen, he was admitted into a state psychiatric facility. Once admitted, he told his doctor what really happened," Penelope said.

"And what was that Garcia?" Hotch asked.

"During their untimely stay in the forest, Mark forced Andrew to choose who they would kill and eat. He made him choose between the two sickest people: Andrew's girlfriend Carly and his little sister Sarah. Sarah begged for her life, and Andrew chose Carly. Andrew told his doctor that Mark killed Carly, and forced the others to eat her. A few days after they killed Carly, they were found," Penelope explained.

"That explains why he makes them eat a person in the group. He wants them to experience what he did," I said.

"Garcia, what happened to the other people in that hiking group?" JJ asked.

"I'm so glad you asked, my blonde bombshell. James Laraby committed suicide a year after the ordeal. He was found hanging in his closet. Ava Preston drowned in her swimming pool two years after the incident. Six months ago, Sarah Toliver was killed in an automobile accident due to brake failure. And lastly, two months ago, Mark Toliver was found brutally stabbed in his apartment. That case is still unsolved," Penelope said, "But the police said all died under suspicious circumstances. They suspected foul play."

"What about Andrew? What happened to him Garcia?" Derek asked.

"He was in that state psychiatric facility for six years. He was released a little over six months ago," Garcia said, slowly realizing what the team was getting at.

"So he killed James and Ava before going into the mental hospital, and then, after he's released, he killed his brother and sister before starting to kill other teenagers," I said.

"Garcia, what else can you tell us about Andrew Toliver?" Hotch questioned.

"He owns a 4x4 Jeep Wrangler, lives in a small cabin on the outskirts of the Olympic National Forest, and, get this, he's a park ranger, or rather, was until he was fired three months ago," Penelope said.

"Garcia, what forest did the original group go to?" I asked.

"Ummm…that would be," Garcia said before pausing, "Oh my gosh, Olympic National Forest."

"We need to get there now," Hotch said, "Garcia, where was the original group found?"

"That would be the north edge of Wynoochee Lake sir," Garcia said.

* * *

I rode in the SUV with Spencer and Derek, as Derek drove like a maniac to the edge of the forest. From there, we would have to separate into groups and hike many miles in order to surround the north edge of the lake.

As we approached the spot where we would park the cars and begin our hike, I noticed that only our SUVs and one police car were here. Puzzled, I got out of the car, closely followed by Derek and Spencer.

"Hotch, where is everybody?" Derek asked.

"There was a raid on a human trafficking ring in Seattle today. All units were called in. This is all we have for now," Hotch replied, "We're waiting for backup. They should be here within the hour."

"Hotch, you know as well as I do that we don't have an hour. This guy knows we're after him. He's not going to wait. He's going to kill these kids," I protested.

"I understand where you're coming from Lindsey, but we don't have the manpower to surround them," Hotch retorted.

"Hotch, if we want to get those kids out of there alive, we have to go now," I stated, not wanting to back down. I felt an obligation to get justice for the Saxton family and all of the other victims' families.

"There are eight of us Aaron. We need to move fast," Dave said.

Hotch reluctantly gave in and we all put on our vests before beginning our hike. Detective Hardwicke was leading the way along with Officer Cavanaugh, who both knew the area very well. I was also towards the front. I had, without realizing it, turned this into my own personal crusade for justice.

* * *

As we finally reached the south edge of the lake, it was time to split up. It was decided that Hotch, Detective Hardwicke, and I would approach him from the back. JJ and Officer Cavanaugh would come from one side, and Derek, Spencer, and Dave would come from the other.

As we all made our way to our places before we moved in, I could hear the voices in the clearing ahead of us. The sobs and screams were carried in the slight breeze that had come up. The call then came for us to begin moving in. As we approached the clearing, I could now see the four teenagers on the ground, one girl closer to Toliver than the others. He had a knife out, and it looked like he was giving some sort of speech. I could also make out a gun in his back pocket, and there was a shotgun on the ground by his feet.

We finally came close enough to begin speaking to Toliver. He still hadn't heard our approach, but the kids had seen us and looked relieved and terrified all at the same time.

"Andrew Toliver, FBI. Put your weapons down," Hotch said.

Andrew turned around and saw that he was surrounded by federal agents (and local police). His hand that contained the knife began to tremor violently.

"You don't know what happened to me, what he made me do," Andrew said, a desperate tone pleading to us in his voice.

"Yes we do Andrew," I answered, "We know what Mark made you do. He made you choose between your girlfriend and your sister. That wasn't right."

"No, it wasn't right," Andrew replied, "And all the others went along with it."

"And that's why they had to pay too, isn't it Andrew," I said, making my voice calm.

"Yes. They all went back to their normal lives afterwards. But I've had nightmares for nine years! They had to know what it was like," Andrew said, "These kids think they're all perfect and on top of the world. They need to know what it's like too."

"Andrew, wait. The girl you loved was taken from you. I know how you feel. I know exactly what you're going through," I persisted, "This isn't the way to make the pain go away."

"I don't know what else to do," Andrew said, looking at me. I could see the pain in his eyes. He was hurting.

"Put down the knife and the gun, and then we can help you," I said, "You don't need to hurt anyone else."

Andrew looked down at the girl who was lying by his feet and at the rest of the kids. Their wrists and ankles were bound with thick rope, and their faces were full of cuts and bruises.

His eyes then returned to face mine and he mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." Then, before we could do anything he was putting the gun to his temple and pulling the trigger.

* * *

The girl previously lying at his feet, Isobel Harte, screamed when he fell and I saw that his blood covered her. We rushed to the kids and as we reached them, EMTs began to make their way into the clearing.

The kids would be fine. They were dehydrated, but there were no severe medical issues. Other than their shocked emotional state, they would all be fine. As the M.E. took photos of Toliver's body, I noticed a folded up piece of paper had fallen from his hand. I reached down and picked it up. As I opened it, I saw six smiling teenagers standing by the "Olympic National Forest," sign. I could see Andrew Toliver standing next to his brother and sister. They all looked so much alike. I slipped the photo into my pocket and joined the team as we headed back to the hotel.

Our plane would leave first thing in the morning due to repairs that had to be made before takeoff. As we arrived back at the hotel, the team headed to the dining room for dinner. I wasn't feeling hungry, so I went back up to mine and JJ's room. I changed into a pair of red running shorts and a Philadelphia 76ers shirt before remembering the hotel concierge telling us about the rooftop garden. I grabbed my phone and slipped on a pair of blue flip-flops and made my way to the door at the end of the hall that said, "Roof Access."

I sat on one of the many chairs and just looked at the sky. It was a beautiful clear night, and the stars were gorgeous. The rooftop garden was also exquisite. I walked towards the edge of the roof, and looked out over Seattle. Suddenly, my solo peace was interrupted by the sound of the door shutting. I whirled around and came face to face with Spencer.

"We missed you at dinner. Everyone wondered where you went," Spencer said, hands in his pockets as he walked towards me, "But I remembered how your face lit up when the concierge mentioned the rooftop garden. It is pretty amazing up here."

I sat back down in one of the chairs and Spencer sat in the chair next to me as I yawned.

"Long day?" Spencer questioned.

"Too many of them," I replied with a weak smile, "Between work, Aria, and training for the showcase, I'm exhausted."

"How long until the big showcase?" Spencer asked.

"Less than a month," I answered, "The showcase is the first weekend in August, and I'm slightly freaking out."

"You'll do great. The whole team will be there to support you," Spencer said with a reassuring smile.

"I never thought it was physically possible to be this tired," I moaned, laying my head in my hands, which rested on the table.

"Did you know that the record for the longest period without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes during a rocking chair marathon? The record holder reported hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses," Spencer rattled off.

"Got any other crazy facts about sleep Dr. Reid," I retorted while trying to hold back my laughter.

"Let's see, did you know that humans sleep on average around three hours less than other primates like chimps, rhesus monkeys, squirrel monkeys and baboons, all of whom sleep for 10 hours?" Spencer quickly said, "Wait, were you being serious?"

"You'll never know will you?" I said teasingly as I stood up and walked towards the door.

I stopped though and took one last look at the night sky.

"You like the stars?" Spencer said, coming up and standing next to me.

"When I was little, my parents would always be working late. That's what I get for having a cop and a lawyer for parents. Anyway, my sister and I would go out and sleep on the trampoline in the summer and look at the stars," I said with a smile, "I learned all of the constellations. I bet I could even give you a run for your money, Dr. Reid."

* * *

Spencer took this as a challenge and we began to point out constellations and make the other name them. We lay on top of one of the long rectangular tables. We were in a deadlock until I decided to really challenge him. I pointed to a constellation, my favorite constellation in fact. Spencer's face immediately took a puzzled look. His mind was going a million miles a minute, I could tell. I began to laugh.

"You don't know it, do you?" I questioned.

"No, I do. Let the master think," Spencer said, a confident smile presenting itself on his face. That smile quickly faded as the minutes passed.

"Give up yet?" I asked.

He didn't say anything, so I pointed to the constellation.

"That, my dear Dr. is Coma Berenices," I said, the confident smile now on my face.

"I knew that," Spencer said.

"Oh, really?" I said, suspicion raising.

"I was simply being a gentleman," Spencer said, a smile coming to his face now.

"That happens to be my favorite constellation," I said, lightly shoving him and then looking back up at the stars, "I love the story behind it."

"Amaze me with your knowledge," Spencer said, sitting up.

"Well, Coma Berenices, or Berenice's Hair, gets its name from the story of an Egyptian queen who cut off her golden locks to pay off on a deal she made with the goddess of love to keep her husband safe during wartime. The goddess was so pleased that the hair was taken up to heaven as a cluster of stars," I said, a dreamy look appearing in my eyes.

Spencer hadn't said anything, not even a whitty comeback, so I sat up and looked at him, only to find him looking at me.

I glanced down at my phone, checking the time. It was midnight.

"We've been up here for hours," I said, "This isn't too good for my whole lack of sleep thing."

"I take the full blame for that," Spencer said, "I'm just too brilliant when it comes to constellations, I guess."

"Oh whatever, I totally beat you and you know it," I said, looking over into his dark brown eyes.

With my eyes locked on Spencer's, he took a step closer. I wasn't sure if my heart had ever pounded so fast in my life. I noticed a small scar on the bridge of Spencer's nose. For a fleeting moment, I wondered how he got it. I wanted to know everything about the man standing in front of me. And more than anything, I knew that I wanted to feel his lips on mine.

Just as the longing became unbearable, Spencer's lips met mine. The warmth of his mouth sent a current running through my body. I wound my arms around Spencer's neck as I lost myself in his peppermint breath and soft lips.

And just like that the kiss was over. I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. "Uh…I have to go," I said, stepping back to create space between myself and Spencer, "I'm sorry."

I literally ran back to my room, finding JJ already asleep. He kissed me. Spencer Reid kissed me and I kissed him back. What did this mean? I thought to myself, realizing what had actually happened.

I laid down in bed, unable to go to sleep. I couldn't believe everything that had happened today. I kept thinking about Spencer. I picked up my phone and went to my photos. There was the picture of us at the zoo with Aria, and there was the photo of the two of us at Aria's birthday party, his arm wrapped cautiously around my waist. What was I going to do? I kissed my coworker, who I also happened to be slightly falling for. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Hopefully you like this chapter as much as I do. Sorry it took so long to get up, I wanted it to be just right! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank dmfrancis7, Lenika08, Miss McGee, Blueberrytoast, FutureFBI, and Maddie for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

I was woken up by JJ the following morning, much to my displeasure.

"Hey Linds, wake up. It's eight and the plane leaves at eleven," JJ said, shaking my shoulder.

I slowly got out of bed, still sleep deprived after only getting a few hours of sleep last night. I couldn't get Spencer out of my head and I couldn't believe that I had just run out on him. I hopped in the shower and then blow-dried my hair and curled it, taking extra care with my hair and makeup this morning. As I stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, a grey lace tank top, a floral print cardigan, and a pair of black flats, JJ gave me a look that reminded me of one of my mom's famous, "You're in trouble," looks.

"So, you got in pretty late last night," JJ said, trying to sound casual and light.

"Yeah, I guess I just lost track of time," I said, trying to sound innocent.

"So it must be a coincidence that Spencer got to his room late too?" JJ questioned.

"I'm going to kill Derek," I said as I sat on the bed.

"What happened last night?" JJ asked as she came and sat down next to me.

"I think I made a huge mistake," I said, trying to hold back the tears.

I told JJ everything, the whole story of what had happened last night, especially the ending.

"After the kiss, I panicked. Deer in the headlights, I guess. I said that I had to go, I apologized, and then I ran," I whispered, hardly being able to speak through the tears, "Now I don't know what to do."

"You need to talk to him," JJ responded quickly, "It's the only way. Obviously he cares about you, I mean, he kissed you. For Spence, that's a huge step. He's been through a lot and it's hard for him to express his feelings."

I nodded and stood up as JJ gave me a hug. My phone began buzzing like crazy, and I saw that Penelope was calling me. I sighed, and answered it.

"Okay, don't hate me, but Derek might have told me that you went up to the hotel roof last night, and he might have also said that our resident genius went too, so I might have hacked into the cameras, and I might have seen everything," Penelope said speedily.

"Pen, you didn't!" I exclaimed, sounding disappointed.

"It was adorable!" Penelope retorted, "Except for the part where you ran away like a scared little puppy."

"I freaked out. It was a mistake," I tried to explain.

"So, do you like him?" Penelope asked.

"Yeah, I think I do," I answered.

"Then go fight for your man, my little smitten kitten. I'll be waiting for a full report when you get back," Penelope said before hanging up.

* * *

As JJ and I made our way down to the lobby, I was freaking out. I was about to see the man I kissed last night, the man who probably thinks I hate him because I ran out on him.

Before we turned the corner to enter the lobby, JJ stopped and turned to me.

"Deep breath, you can do this," JJ said reassuringly.

We turned the corner, and the whole team was seated in the lobby, waiting for us.

I immediately locked eyes with Spencer, and a small smile filled my face before I looked down shyly at my feet.

As we prepared to walk out the door, Chief Saxton came barreling in.

"Oh good, you haven't left yet," he said to the group before turning to me, "Agent Parker, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I looked to Hotch for an answer; our plane was set to leave in an hour.

"We'll be waiting outside," Hotch said, "Take as long as you need."

The team left, Spencer looking extra-long at me before walking out with the others. Chief Saxton and I sat down on one of the couches.

"I just wanted to thank you for all that you did for my family and for the rest of the families as well," Chief Saxton said.

"My team worked really hard," I replied, "I appreciate that though."

"I wanted to give you this though," he said, handing me a photograph, "So you don't forget how much you've really helped us."

I looked down at the photograph in my hand. It was a photograph of Molly.

"This was taken a few days before she died," Chief Saxton explained, "We had a 16th birthday photo-shoot, her mother's idea."

"Thank you," I replied, smiling at him, "And I promise you that I won't forget."

I slipped the photo into my purse and joined the rest of the team outside. I got into one of the SUVs, only to find myself with Derek and JJ.

* * *

The car ride was tedious. Thankfully, Derek didn't pop off about Spencer or last night. For that, I was eternally grateful.

The plane ride was also quiet. I had decided to wait and talk to Spencer once we were alone. I had taken my usual seat across from him, but he hadn't spoken a word to me since we'd gotten on the plane. He was enthralled with, or rather, pretending to be enthralled with _The Book of Margery Kempe._ I kept glancing up at him, but his eyes never met mine. I was feeling awful.

The plane finally landed and we returned to the office. Most of us had been working on the paperwork and reports on the plane, so we all finished them rather quickly. Hotch then came down into the bullpen, ready to talk to us all.

"You've all been working very hard and I'd like you to take the rest of the week and weekend off," he said.

We all celebrated this joyous occasion. The team had told me on multiple occasions that Hotch almost never gave you time off for no reason.

"You'll still have to be on call, in case a big case comes in, but have a good break everyone," Hotch said, before returning to his office.

* * *

I gathered up my stuff and hurried towards the elevator. It was about to close so I yelled, "Hold the elevator!"

As the elevator opened once again, the only person inside was Spencer; just my luck.

"Thanks," I said, a small smile gracing my face.

We stood in silence for a while before I spoke up.

"Spencer, I'm sorry about what happened last night, I…" I began to say.

"Really, Lindsey I should be the one apologizing to you, I shouldn't have kissed you," Spencer started.

"But I didn't stop you. Look I just got kind of spooked, I guess. I'm sorry about my reaction, but I'm not sorry about the kiss," I said, looking up at him.

"Neither am I," Spencer said, now sounding more confident, "I really care about you Lindsey. I wanted you to know that."

"I care about you too Spencer," I said, as the elevator doors opened and we stepped into the lobby, "Are we still on for dinner?"

"Well, since we have the rest of the week off, how does tomorrow night sound?" Spencer asked.

"That sounds perfect," I said, smiling.

"So what are you going to do with the rest of your day?" Spencer questioned as we exited the FBI building.

"Well, Ali took the girls to the mall, so they'll be gone the rest of the night. I was planning on going grocery shopping. Our cupboards are pretty bare since I haven't been home lately," I said, the smile not leaving my face.

"Mind if I join you?" Spencer asked, "I've found myself faced with the same dilemma."

"I'd be honored," I answered as I got into my car.

* * *

I drove to the grocery store that was close to my house, the one Aria and I always went to. We knew almost everyone who worked there.

Spencer pulled in and parked next to me and we walked into the store together. We each grabbed a cart and began our journey.

"So, what's on your list?" Spencer asked me.

"How do you know that I have a list?" I questioned.

"I'm a profiler, remember?" Spencer said, a sly smile on his face, "Plus, I might have seen you writing one out on the plane."

I pulled the list out of my purse, giving Spencer a semi-evil look.

"I guess I'll start with Aria's essentials," I said, looking at the list.

"Aria's essentials?" Spencer questioned.

"She makes me a list of what she wants when I go grocery shopping, her favorite foods mostly," I explained.

"So what are her essentials?" Spencer asked.

"Today they're hot dogs, bowtie pasta, and goldfish crackers," I said, "Not much different than her usual list.

We kept going through the aisles and as we did, my cart was filling up, while Spencer's stayed relatively empty.

We then made it to the pasta, something I knew I had to stock up on. Spencer laughed when I put about twenty boxes in my cart.

"Don't laugh. This is what Aria and I live off of sometimes. I really try to cook, but after we get home from the case, pasta, or ramen noodles, or frozen dinners is just easier I guess," I said, adding a palette of Ramen noodles to my cart.

We then made it to the paper towels and, just my luck, the brand that I always bought was on the top shelf, where I couldn't reach it.

"Hey Spencer, can you reach that for me?" I asked, pointing to the paper towels.

Spencer reached up and grabbed a package, but his foot must've slipped or something, because all the packages of paper towels fell on top of him and he fell to the ground.

As he lay on the ground, I couldn't stop laughing. His head finally popped out of the mountain of paper towels and he glared at me.

"You think this is funny?" he asked.

I shook my head, but I was still laughing.

He reached out a hand towards me.

"Could you help me up?" Spencer asked.

I reached down and took his hand, ready to pull him up, when suddenly, he pulled me down into the mountain of paper towels. I quickly jumped back up, still laughing.

"I can't believe you just did that!" I exclaimed, throwing a package of paper towels at him as he stood up.

"I guess my hand just slipped," Spencer said with a devilish grin on his face, "Sorry."

I punched him in the arm and walked back to my cart, still smiling, my stomach hurting from laughing so much. As I began to push the cart, looking back at Spencer trying to clean up his mess, I ran into an older woman with a full cart of her own. My purse fell and its contents were scattered. The woman bent down to help me pick up my things.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry dear," she said, "I guess I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, it's my fault," I apologized.

The woman then picked up a photo and looked at it a minute. It was the photo of Aria, Spencer, and I at Aria's birthday party. She looked behind me and saw Spencer walking towards us.

"You have a beautiful family," she said, "You're a very lucky lady."

I was about to correct her when Spencer came up and one of his hands instinctively went on my back.

"Lindsey, are you okay?" he asked, looking at the woman.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wasn't paying attention," I said.

The woman handed me back the photo and then turned her attention to Spencer.

"Now young man, you listen to me. Don't ever let her go," the woman said before smiling and walking away.

* * *

I picked up the rest of the things on my list before Spencer and I made our way to the checkout. I laughed when I realized that all Spencer had in his cart was coffee and green tea.

"I thought you needed food," I stated matter-of-factly.

"I kind of went shopping last week, but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to spend time with you. Studies indicate that "social capital" is one of the biggest predictors for health, happiness, and longevity," Spencer began to ramble.

"Well, I'm glad you came," I said sweetly, "Besides, the team is going to love these pictures of you being buried by paper towels."

Spencer insisted on following me home, claiming that if needed, he would be my "knight in shining armor."

* * *

As I parked in front of my house and got out of the car, Spencer jumped out of his car and helped me carry in my groceries. After Spencer and I set the bags on the table, my phone began to ring. I stepped into the living room and answered it when I saw that it was Ali calling.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey sis, we're on our way home from the mall. I decided that you should be with Aria at dinner," Ali said.

"Thanks sis, well, I'd better go, I have to put groceries away," I said hesitantly.

"Wait a minute, what's going on with you? You'll usually stay on the phone with me and talk. Is someone there with you? It's Spencer isn't it?" Ali said hurriedly.

"Yes Ali, Spencer went grocery shopping with me, and he was nice enough to follow me home and bring in the groceries. And he's waiting for me in the kitchen, so I'll see you when you drop of Aria, okay?" I said before telling Ali goodbye and hanging up. I walked back into the kitchen, finding Spencer already putting things into the pantry.

"Spencer, you didn't have to do that," I said, leaning on the table.

"I wanted to, don't worry," Spencer said with a smile.

Go for it, I thought to myself. Well, here it goes.

"That was Ali. They're on their way home. She wanted Aria to be home in time for dinner," I said, finishing putting the groceries away, "If you don't have any other plans, there's always room for one more at the table."

"That sounds great," Spencer said, "A home-cooked meal is probably better than Chinese takeout."

"And you can even help me cook," I replied with a smile.

"Lindsey, I can't cook," Spencer said nervously.

"Don't worry, it's just a chicken and vegetable stir fry, nothing too hard," I said putting my hand on his shoulder, "I think you can handle cutting vegetables."

* * *

We got to work. I set Spencer up on the island with a cutting board and a knife. I put him in charge of cutting the broccoli florets, green **and** red bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, celery, and green onions. I figured he could handle the easy part while I got the chicken and rice done. Ten minutes later, I turned around to see him done with his task, the vegetables in relatively even pieces, better than I thought he would've done.

"And you said you couldn't cook," I teased, walking over to the island.

"I guess I had a good teacher," Spencer replied, his gaze fixed on me.

As I closed the distance between us and my lips brushed against his, the front door opened. We literally jumped apart as Ali and Aria walked into the kitchen. I quickly turned my attention to stirring the rice, trying to forget about the fact that I had almost gotten caught kissing my coworker in my kitchen by my sister and five year old daughter.

"Mommy!" Aria cried, as she ran towards me.

She gave me a large hug before she noticed the other person in the room.

"Spencer!" she screeched, more excited to see him than me.

I don't think he was expecting her to jump into his arms either, but his shock quickly wore off.

"I set Aria's bags by the door," Ali said, a puzzled, yet all-knowing look roaming from Spencer to me, "We had fun."

"Well, thanks for taking her Ali, I really appreciate it," I said, knowing my face was a little red.

"The girls are waiting in the car, so I better go," Ali said as she turned to go, "Aria, you keep an eye on your mom and Spencer for me okay? I want a full report the next time I see you."

"Okay, bye Aunt Ali," Aria called after her.

"Well, Ari-Bug, dinner is almost ready, so why don't you show Spencer what you got at the mall while I finish up here," I suggested, but before I could finish, Aria had ahold of Spencer's arm and was dragging him into the living room.

* * *

I quickly finished cooking everything, and put the stir fry into one bowl and the rice into the other. I also poured the garlic-ginger soy sauce into a gravy boat before setting all three containers on the table. I wasn't used to seeing the table set for three, and I was beginning to like it that way.

As we sat down for dinner, Aria insisted on praying. She loved to say the prayer. We all held hands and bowed our heads as Aria began to say her prayer.

"Dear God, thank you for everything you've given us. Thank you for Mommy and Aunt Ali and Uncle Kyle and my cousins Emma and Makenzie. Please keep everyone safe and watch over Daddy in heaven. Oh, and God, thank you for bringing Spencer into our lives. Amen." Aria said, before digging into her food.

I had begun to tear up a little bit during her prayer. I hadn't expected her to say all that.

"Thanks Ari-Bug, that was the best prayer I've ever heard," I said, smiling.

Our dinnertime conversations led to many laughs. It felt so right to have Spencer with us. Before I knew it, Aria had gone up to get in her PJs while Spencer and I cleared the table.

"Now, wasn't that better than takeout?" I asked, smiling still.

"Much better," he replied, "I didn't know you could cook."

"I think it's in the mom handbook that you have to be able to cook," I said, laughing.

As I finished putting everything into the dishwasher, Aria came running back into the kitchen in her PJs, with a smile on her face.

"I'm ready Mommy," she said.

"Can you tell Spencer goodbye?" I asked.

She then proceeded to hug Spencer and then looked up at him and smiled.

"Bye Spencer," Aria said, "I'll miss you."

"Well, I think I'll see you tomorrow," he said, looking cautiously at me. I nodded and smiled.

"Really? You're coming over again!" Aria said excitedly.

"Not exactly sweetie," I replied, "Spencer and I are going to dinner by ourselves, for some adult time."

Aria looked a little bit disappointed, but she reluctantly went up the stairs and I turned to smile at Spencer before following her into her room.

She hopped into bed and I pulled up the covers and turned on her nightlight.

"Mommy, do you like Spencer?" Aria asked, a question she had asked me before.

"I do sweetie, and we're going out to dinner to see if we both like each other's company, that's all," I said.

"Well, I hope you do, because I like it when Spencer's here," she said with a smile.

"Me too," I said before I gave her a kiss and got up, turning out the light as I left the room.

* * *

I walked back downstairs to find Spencer gathering up his things.

"Leaving so soon?" I asked, a hesitant, shy smile on my face.

"Yeah," he replied, "Morgan invited me to go out with him tonight."

"You're going clubbing with Derek Morgan?" I said with an amused look on my face.

"He forced me into it," Spencer replied, "Trust me, I'm doing this against my free will. I would much rather be here with you."

A small smile broke out onto my face before I remembered the date.

"So when should I expect my carriage to arrive?" I asked.

"I'll pick you up around eight?" Spencer said, waiting for approval.

"That sounds great," I replied before taking a step towards him.

I put my hands on Spencer's shoulders and placed my lips on his cheek. As I leaned back, my left arm slid back down his and our hands interlocked.

"Thanks for coming tonight," I said, "I think Aria had a good time."

"Just Aria?" Spencer questioned, a sly smile appearing on his face.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said as he opened the front door and our hands came apart. As he walked to his car, he looked back at me and smiled, before continuing to walk towards his car, his hands in his pockets.

I shut the door and slid down it, ending up on the floor with my knees pulled up towards my chest. I had just had an amazing night, and tomorrow night, I was going out on a date with Spencer, a one on one date, alone, no five year old to hinder my ability to talk to him. Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter more than anything in the world, but she's a chatterbox, something she got from her father. Ben could talk to anyone, anytime, even if he'd just met them. I remember when I was pregnant I'd hoped that she'd inherit that quality.

I took a deep breath and smiled. I realized that this smile hadn't left my face all night. For the first time in a long time, I was smiling all the time. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Eighteen of my fanfiction Here I Go as much as I do! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Miss McGee, VallyDream, lmacwhinney, Lenika08, FutureFBI, and Blueberrytoast for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen

I was very grateful that Hotch had given us the rest of the week and the weekend off. This gave me some time to spend with Aria, quality time that was desperately needed. After we had woken up the day after Aria and mine's dinner with Spencer, Aria decided that she wanted to go swimming. This gave us the perfect time to bond. Aria put on her pink sparkly one piece with a denim skirt and white t-shirt over top. I put on a teal ruffle bikini and slipped on a white sundress over top. We both put on a pair of flip flops before going to the pool. Since we'd been in D.C., we'd only been to the pool a few times, and Aria and I had a blast. We took some adorable pictures together, and I got some cute shots of Aria too. When we got home, it was two o'clock, and I fixed us a late lunch before my phone started going crazy.

I'd already asked Penelope to come over and watch Aria tonight when Spencer and I went on our date and not surprisingly, one new text message was from her and the other was from JJ.

**_Hey my little smitten kitten, just wanted to let you know that JJ and I will be at your house at five to make you look all gorgeous and irresistible for your date! Can't wait to see Aria either! ~Penelope_**

I smiled as I read Penelope's text and I smiled even more as I read JJ's.

**_Hey Lind, Penelope and I will be at your house at five. According to her, you have to look irresistible, but Spencer already adores you, so this will just be the icing on the cake. Get ready for a night I'm sure you'll never forget! ~JJ_**

* * *

Five o'clock came too fast. Aria and I were snuggled together on the couch watching an Animal Planet documentary about giraffes when the doorbell rang. I got up and opened the door, only to be bombarded by Penelope. Well, at least I thought it was Penelope. I couldn't see her face behind the mountain of bags that she was somehow carrying.

"Penelope, what is all of this?" I questioned as she set bags on the floor.

"Oh I just brought some fun things over for me and Aria while you go off and have your own kind of fun," Penelope said, a sly look upon her face.

"Haha, very funny," I said, as JJ walked in the door as well.

"Oh Lindsey, trust me, this is nothing compared to what she bought Henry the first year of his life," JJ said with an exasperated smile.

I left Aria to watch her documentary while JJ and Penelope followed me upstairs.

"First things first," Penelope said, "What are you going to wear?"

"I have no idea, but you guys are welcome to look in my closet," I said, motioning towards my walk-in closet.

Before I knew it, Penelope and JJ were in full makeover mode, tossing things aside and holding things up against me before ultimately deciding against those too. Finally though, they emerged with one dress. It was a short, black lace dress that had one long sheer lace sleeve. I hadn't ever worn it. I couldn't even remember when I'd bought it. I slipped it on, but before I got the chance to look in the mirror, Penelope whirled me away.

"Next thing to tackle, hair," Penelope said with a smile similar to that of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

"And that would be my specialty," JJ said as she sat me down at my vanity in my swivel chair, "But no peeking until it's finished."

After what seemed like an eternity, JJ announced that she was finished, and now, my makeup was to be done in collaboration between the two of them.

Finally, they were done, and I looked at the clock to see that it was almost eight.

"Are you ready to see?" JJ asked, smiling at me.

I nodded and they led me to the mirror. One look at myself and I was definitely shocked.

* * *

The dress was short, and though short wasn't really my style, I had to admit, it shaped my body perfectly. It hugged all of my curves. The black high heels that JJ had placed on my feet made my legs look even longer than they were. My hair was in wavy curls, and my eyes popped because of the makeup that the two of them had perfectly applied.

"You look amazing Linds," JJ said, "Spence is going to drop dead."

As I gave both of them hugs, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," JJ announced, "I have to get home anyway. I promised Will and Henry that I'd be home for a family movie night."

She smiled and walked out. I was then left with Penelope, who looked like she was about to cry.

"Pen, what's wrong?" I questioned when I saw her sad look.

"You just look so beautiful," she blubbered, "I can't believe my smitten kitten is finally going on a date with the guy she's crazy about. It seems too good to be true."

"Imagine how I feel," I said, taking a deep breath. As I took another look in the mirror, my eyes fell on my locket. I hesitantly undid the clasp and set it on my vanity. Penelope looked rather shocked.

"For new beginnings," I said with a smile, holding back my own tears.

* * *

As Penelope began to lead the way down the stairs, I heard JJ tell Spencer that I would be right down before she made her way out the door. I could hear Aria and Spencer talking, most likely about the giraffe documentary that had kept Aria occupied for three hours.

I made my down the last few stairs and my eyes immediately went from the floor to meet Spencer's. A shy smile came to my face, something that seemed to happen regularly when Spencer was around. His eyes seemed to light up when he saw me. Aria also gasped in amazement.

"Wow, you look beautiful," Spencer said, and I could tell he was getting nervous.

"Mommy, you look so pretty!" Aria exclaimed.

"Thank you to both of you," I said with a smile before sitting on the couch next to Aria.

"You be good for Penelope, okay?" I said in my mom voice, "Don't try and convince her that I let you have cookies before bed like the last babysitter."

She smiled mischievously before slowly nodding her head, "Okay Mommy."

"We're going to have a great time, aren't we Pumpkin?" Penelope said, as she pulled something out of one of her many bags, "I even brought Mulan."

"That's my favorite!" Aria said gleefully as she ran over to Penelope.

"Mine too girlfriend," Penelope replied, "I mean, how could you not love a movie about women's rights and equality?"

I laughed before scooping up my black clutch, which contained my phone, money, camera, lip gloss, and badge, just in case.

* * *

When we got out to the car, Spencer opened the door for me. A real gentleman, I thought to myself.

As we began driving, we made some small talk.

"So, where are you taking me?" I asked Spencer as he concentrated on driving.

"That is a surprise," he said with a smile.

We only drove for about ten minutes before pulling up in front of a restaurant. I saw the sign and my mouth dropped. We were in front of Posto, an upscale Italian restaurant in Dupont Circle. It was nearly impossible to get a reservation.

"How did you manage to get a reservation?" I asked Spencer, "They've been booked solid for a year."

"I have some connections," Spencer said as he gave the keys to the valet.

As we walked into the restaurant, Spencer hesitantly took my hand. A little surprised, I looked up at him, but smiled softly, letting him know that it was okay. Locking our fingers together, I accepted his sweet gesture.

We approached the hostess, who smiled when she saw us.

"Welcome to Posto," she said, "What name is the reservation under?"

"Spencer Reid, table for two," Spencer replied.

"Ah yes, Agent Rossi's special guests," the hostess said with a smile, "Right this way."

I looked at Spencer with a confused look as we followed the hostess, still holding hands.

"Rossi knows the owner," Spencer said, "Apparently, they go way back."

"Of course," I said, as we walked outside a set of French doors.

* * *

The hostess had led us to the patio, where one table for two was set up. It was surrounded by beautiful greenery, in which twinkly lights had been woven in and out. The view of the city was also spectacular.

The waitress then came and took our orders. I ordered the **Paglia e Fieno (which contained egg-spinach fettuccine, organic veal ragu, fresh herbs, parmesan cheese)** and Spencer ordered the **Manzo (which contained grilled NY strip steak, garlic mashed potatoes, braised Swiss chard, oxtail sauce.)**

As we waited for our food, the waitress came back with a bottle of wine. I was confused, because we hadn't ordered any.

She began pouring us each a glass as she said, "Our finest Barolo, on the house, courtesy of Paolo Sacco, the owner."

The food came and we began eating. I couldn't get over the beautiful view and just how much work had gone into planning this.

"This place is amazing," I said, "I've wanted to come here forever, but could never get a reservation."

"I guess it's just all in who you know," Spencer said with a smile.

"It's nice to have conversation with someone over three feet tall," I said, laughing.

As we finished our dinner, the waitress came back with a plate that contained a slice of tiramisu.

"On the house, courtesy of the chef," she said, "His version of tiramisu. Enjoy."

The tiramisu was heavenly. Spencer and I shared it, something I hadn't done with someone in over five years. Only once during dinner did I self-consciously reach for my locket, and when I didn't find it there, my hand went directly into my lap. I didn't know if Spencer had noticed that I wasn't wearing it. I could definitely feel it not there, but I liked the idea of a fresh start and moving on.

* * *

As we finished our dessert, the waitress came back and when Spencer asked for the check, he received a surprising response.

"The check's already been taken care of Dr. Reid," she said, "But Agent Rossi asked me to give you this."

She handed Spencer an envelope and he opened it and took out the one sheet of paper that it contained. He read it, smiled, and then handed it to me.

**Spencer,**

**I hope you and Lindsey enjoyed your dinner and all that came with it. Posto is a special place for me and I hope it is now for you two too. Don't worry about the check; I already took care of it. The only thing I ask in return is that you let the waitress take a picture of the two of you with Lindsey's camera, which I know she brought, and then make me a copy of it. I wish you two all the happiness in the world tonight.**

**Dave**

"Did you really bring your camera?" Spencer asked.

"Force of habit," I admitted, pulling it out of my clutch.

The waitress took the camera from me and Spencer and I stood up, putting the beautiful view of the city and the greenery and the twinkly lights behind us. He slipped an arm around my waist and I did the same. The smile on my face was real, something that hadn't been true in years. After she took the picture, I turned to Spencer, the smile still on my face. I leaned forward and brushed my lips against his, finishing what Ali and Aria had interrupted. The kiss was short and sweet, making me feel like the only girl in the world. Spencer had that way of making me feel like that. What I didn't realize is that the waitress took another picture, of us kissing. I only realized this as we walked outside to get the car.

* * *

Mine and Spencer's hands were again intertwined and I was looking at the pictures. The first one was what I expected. The second one was not. As we walked through the front doors to leave, I showed Spencer that second picture. He smiled and lightly laughed, as the valet pulled up with our car. This had been a pretty amazing date.

The drive home seemed too short, as we pulled up in front of my house. It was late, but I knew that Aria would still be up. Spencer came around and opened the door for me again, as he had been doing the whole night. Our hands found each other again as we began to walk to my front door. As we reached it, I felt Spencer tense up and turn towards me.

"Lindsey," he began to say, "I really care about you, and this might be too soon, or too sudden, but will you be my girlfriend?"

I held back the teenage girl giddiness that had built up inside of me as I had figured out what he was going to say.

"I thought you would never ask." I replied with a smile on my face as I leaned in and we kissed again.

This kiss, however, was different. It was deeper and full of meaning, something the other kisses hadn't had. As we pulled apart, the smile that I had was reflected onto Spencer's face, and we walked inside, only to be attacked by a five year old running at full speed.

* * *

"Mommy!" Aria exclaimed, running into my arms.

I scooped her up and she had the biggest smile on her face. Penelope stood up from the couch and joined us in the entry way.

"Did you have fun?" I asked Aria.

"Yeah, Aunt Penelope and I watched Mulan and then we did mani/pedis and then we made S'mores!" Aria said excitedly.

"That does sound like fun," I replied, setting Aria back down.

"Why don't you head up to your room and I'll be right up to tuck you in," I suggested to Aria.

She gave Spencer and Penelope both hugs before running upstairs.

"Thank you so much Penelope," I said, reaching to get some money out of my clutch.

"Nope, sorry kitten, not going to accept that," Penelope said, "You gave me something to do tonight and I had a lot of fun. All I ask is to see those pictures."

Of course, the whole team was probably in on this whole entire date. I handed her my camera and listened to her ooh and ahh about the pictures.

"I definitely need copies of these for my office!" Penelope exclaimed before saying goodbye and walking out the door.

"Well, Aria's waiting for me," I said, "I should probably get up there."

"Of course," Spencer replied, "I guess I'll see you on Monday."

"Monday?" I questioned his response.

"Yeah, I decided with the long break and all, I would go visit my mom while I had the chance," Spencer answered.

"Well, I'm sure she'll be glad to see you," I said, and we shared one last kiss before he left.

* * *

I headed upstairs, taking my heels off along the way. I walked into Aria's room, only to find her sitting on her bed, looking at the scrapbook I had made her of pictures of Ben and me, to help her not forget him. I sat down next to her and she asked me an unexpected question.

"Mommy, why didn't Daddy want to meet me?" Aria asked sadly.

"Sweetie," I said as she came and sat on my lap with the scrapbook, "He wanted to meet you more than anything in the world, but God had other plans and he needed Daddy to go to heaven."

Aria remained silent. It was hard for her to understand why the rest of the kids in her class had dads, but she didn't.

"I remember when I found out that I was pregnant with you," I recollected, "He was so excited."

"Do you think Daddy thinks about me up in heaven?" Aria asked, looking at me with her big brown eyes.

"You know, whenever you think about Daddy, he thinks about you," I said, and I think this made her feel better.

We looked at the scrapbook for a little while longer: pictures of my college graduation, our honeymoon, us standing outside of our first home just after I found out that I was pregnant. It brought back a lot of memories. As I tucked Aria in and left the room, I walked into my room and sat on my bed, the scrapbook still in my hands.

* * *

Seeing all these photos again brought back all the memories. But, I couldn't cry. All the tears that I had cried because of Ben, there weren't anymore. I know that he would want Aria and me to be happy, and with Spencer, I was starting to feel that way again. I had no idea what was going to come with our relationship, especially because of all of the bureau fraternization rules, but I wanted to see where this was going to go. Things seemed brighter when Spencer was around and I know Aria felt the same way. It felt like all the weight that I'd been carrying on my shoulders for all these years was starting to become lighter.

I changed into my PJs and was about to go to sleep when my phone rang. It was my dad.

"Hey Dad, is something wrong?" I said as I answered it.

"It's your mom, honey; she's been admitted to the hospital," my dad explained, "She had a really high fever, 104, so they're going to keep her overnight for observation."

"Do you want me to come over there?" I asked, now wide awake.

"No, sweetie, she's asleep and I think she would want you to get some too," my dad answered.

"You need some too dad," I replied, "You can't do this by yourself. I'll be at the hospital in the morning."

"They told me that they don't think she's going to make it much longer," my dad said, and I could tell that he was crying, "A few months maybe, the doctors say."

"Mom's a fighter dad, she's going to make it through this," I said, "We all are."

"She told me that she doesn't think she has much fight left in her sweetheart," my dad answered, "I just wanted to call and tell you, and to tell you that I love you so much."

"I love you too Daddy," I replied, now crying myself, "I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

I laid back in my bed, the tears now flowing pretty hard. My mom was going to die; I had to admit it to myself. Almost no one survived Stage IV breast cancer, it was a rarity. We needed a miracle. For the first time in a long time, I prayed that night. I prayed that God would watch over my mom and comfort her, I asked him to be with my dad, to let him know that he's not in this alone. I also asked him to be with Spencer and his mom while they were together, to keep them both safe and to let them have a good time together. Spencer had told me that on his last few visits, the days he had went were bad days for his mom. She had to be sedated on more than one occasion. I knew that being around his mom was hard for him.

I closed my eyes and willed myself to go to sleep, to make this horrible nightmare end, but I knew that it wouldn't. I was just glad that I had so many people around me that could help me through this broken road that I was traveling on. I was just so stressed. I had work, Aria, my mom, and the showcase that was coming up in a few weeks. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Nineteen of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I do! I was able to write this chapter very fast, being that I had all the ideas already in my head! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Lenika08, RJsGurl, FutureFBI, amy, Blueberrytoast, and lmacwhinney for their amazing reviews!**

***Also, Hotch's and Strauss' behavior at the end might be a bit OOC, but I'm okay with that if you guys are!***

* * *

Chapter Twenty

**_A few weeks later…_**

The past few weeks had been a blur, they'd gone by so fast. My mom had gotten out of the hospital after a three day stay. Aria and I had gone to visit her and she seemed to be in good spirits. The team got an open and close case in Detroit that was pretty easy to solve. Other than that, at work, we'd just been doing paperwork and reports. All my spare time was divided between training for the showcase, Aria, my mom and dad, and Spencer.

And the day had finally come, the day of the big showcase. I had to get there early to rehearse and make sure everything was ready. I dropped Aria off at Ali's before I headed to the concert hall where the showcase would take place in a few hours. Aria would also be performing in the showcase, with her class, which included Ali's daughter Makenzie. Ali would bring them and they would be performing first, so I wouldn't be able to see her before the show started or when she performed, since I had to stay backstage and rehearse myself, but Ali promised to film it for me.

* * *

Upon arriving at the concert hall, I was thrown into the hustle and bustle of preparing for a huge dance performance. Being the oldest dancer there, I felt pretty out of place. I was stretching backstage when a red-haired girl came up to me.

"You must be Lindsey," she said, pulling her leg into a heel stretch.

"How'd you guess?" I said, slightly sarcastically.

"Well, you are the oldest one here," she smiled, "I'm Brooke Haskins; it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," I said as we shook hands, "What level are you?"

"Level 7," she replied, "Next year I can enter the Professional Training Program."

"You must be really dedicated," I said, straightening out my sparkly black feather costume, "How old are you?"

"I'll be eighteen next month," she replied with a smile.

"So you want to be a dancer?" I questioned, doing a few pirouettes to check my balance.

"Yeah," she quickly replied, "Well, I think so. See, my sister Nicole is in the Washington Ballet dance company and my mom was a ballerina and so was my grandmother, so it's kind of a family tradition."

"I can relate to that. I went into the family business too," I replied, a small smile on my face.

"Really?" Brooke replied, "What do you do?"

"Well, my dad was a police officer and my mom was a district attorney," I started, "And I work for the FBI, in the justice department."

"Really?" Brooke said, sounding excited, "Are you in the BAU? I hear about them in the news all the time. They sound so cool!"

"Yeah, I am" I answered, "You know, if you're interested, the BAU is always looking for interns, after you graduate of course."

I gave her my card and we made a bit more small talk as we continued to stretch.

"So you're twenty-seven right?" Brooke asked. I nodded in reply.

"So do you have any kids?" she questioned.

"I have a five year old daughter, Aria," I replied, getting my phone out of my bag and showing her the picture of Spencer, Aria, and I at Aria's birthday party.

"Is that your husband?" Brooke asked, pointing to Spencer.

"Um, no," I answered, "My husband, Aria's father, was killed when I was pregnant. That's my boyfriend, Spencer."

"He's cute," Brooke said, "So, are you nervous?"

"Terrified," I responded, looking down at my hands to see that they were shaking.

"I saw you in the studio rehearsing yesterday," Brooke said, "You looked amazing."

"Thanks," I replied, "Are you nervous?"

"It's just another performance," she responded, "I've been doing ballet since I was three. It's all I've ever really done."

"Well, good luck," I said, knowing it was almost time for our run-through.

* * *

My run-through went pretty well, considering I was sweating bullets and more nervous than I'd ever been in my life. I hadn't performed in front of an audience in a long time, and I didn't want to screw up this amazing opportunity that had come my way. After my run-through, I went to grab some water from backstage when I ran into Gwendolyn Cole.

"Ah, Lindsey, that was delightful," Gwendolyn said, "Really refreshing to see someone with actual talent."

"Thank you Gwendolyn," I replied, seeing all the other dancers shooting me hated looks, "That means a lot, but I think everyone here is very talented."

"Well then, good luck to you all," Gwendolyn said, giving me an uneasy look, "The show starts in fifteen minutes and it looks like it's going to be a full house."

* * *

As the showcase began, I began pacing backstage, going through my routine in my head, not wanting to mess up anything. I was really starting to freak out when my phone began to buzz like crazy. **_6 new messages_**, my screen read.

**_Lindsey, the whole team is in the audience ready to cheer you on! Break a leg, my little smitten kitten! ~Penelope_**

**_Hey Linds! Will, Henry, and I are out here ready to see you be amazing! Good luck! ~JJ_**

**_Hey Superstar! You better love me because I gave up my Friday night to be here! Just kidding Linds, you know I love you! Not as much as Reid does though ;) Good luck! ~Derek_**

**_Hey Sis! Kyle, Emma, Kenz, and Aria are out here ready to lose our voices for you! Love you and good luck! ~Ali_**

**_Hey Sweetheart, you're mom and I are out in the audience. We are so proud of you! Good luck! ~Dad_**

The last message was from Spencer.

**_Lindsey, I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. You are the most amazing person I have ever met. You effortlessly juggle our stressful job, being a mother, and you somehow manage to throw in the ballet comeback of the century. I know that you are going to do amazing tonight, and I'm out here ready to cheer you on! Good luck! ~Spencer_**

* * *

As my performance time neared, the finale, my nerves started to fade. I knew that they were going to do a big introduction, which I had insisted did not need to happen, but Gwendolyn wouldn't take no for an answer. I took my place as my introduction began.

"Ladies and gentleman, for our finale, we would like to present our featured dancer of the evening. Each year we choose a student to be our featured dancer, and this is quite an honor. This year, we have chosen someone who we believe will make a big comeback tonight. She began training at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet at the age of three, and from there, moved on to the School of American Ballet in New York City. She has earned the Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise and the Youth America Grand Prix Hope Award. At the Russian _ARABESQUE_ competition which took place at the Tchaikovsky Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in Perm, she was awarded the Grand Prix named after the outstanding Russian ballerina Yekaterina Maximova. _Ballet _magazine also awarded her the _Spirit of Dance _award and the _Rising Star_ award. On top of all that, she also received the Best Dancer Award in 2003 at the age of eighteen. Ladies and gentleman, please help me welcome to the stage, Lindsey Parker, performing Odile's Black Swan solo from Swan Lake," Gwendolyn announced.

To me, the introduction made me sound a lot better than I thought I was. I remember winning all those awards. I remember traveling to England and Russia and a lot of other places just to compete.

I walked out on stage and the nerves disappeared. I saw the crowd and my mind went back to my last performance before I "retired," or quit dancing. I remembered how to put on a show, and when the music began, I was back in my element. I executed every move to perfection, showing that you really can have a comeback. My two minute and ten seconds routine flew by, and before I knew it, I hit my final pose, and the auditorium filled with applause. I even received a standing ovation, something I wasn't expecting at all. Gwendolyn then came back on stage.

"Wasn't she wonderful everyone?" Gwendolyn said, as more applause came, "Lindsey, would you care to say a few words?"

This was something I hadn't been anticipating. I stepped forward and took the microphone from Gwendolyn, looking out in the crowd at all the smiling faces.

"Well, first off, I just want to thank all of you for the amazing reaction to my comeback. When Gwendolyn asked me to perform here tonight, I thought she had lost her mind. I haven't danced in front of an audience like this in nine years. I would especially like to thank my parents, who are out in the crowd tonight, for always supporting me in all my endeavors. I also want to thank my team, who I think of as family, for supporting me by being here tonight and for treating me like family. I also want to thank my biggest cheerleader of all, my daughter Aria. Lastly, I would like to thank the person who inspires me, my boyfriend Spencer. The past few weeks have been the happiest I've been in a long time, and I want to thank you for that."

* * *

I then left the stage and when I got backstage, the other dancers erupted in applause as well. Brooke even gave me a hug, telling me it was the best performance she'd ever seen. I changed into a pale pink sparkly sweetheart neckline dress with ruffles and slipped on a pair of silver ballet flats. I took my hair out of the perfect "Bunhead" bun that it had been trapped in all day and left it wavy, not wanting to waste any more time before I got to see everyone. I grabbed my bag and rushed to the auditorium, glad that I was no longer on stage.

Most everyone had already cleared out and gone to the after party, but I saw some familiar faces at the back of the auditorium. I was soon mobbed with hugs and compliments. Spencer slipped an arm around my waist and we shared a sweet kiss.

"You were amazing," he said, looking into my eyes.

I smiled and his arm removed itself from my back and our hands intertwined. The rest of the team was all raving about my performance, and I invited them all to the after party at the owner's mansion. They made their way out, while Spencer, Aria, and I stayed, making our way over to my parents and sister.

"Lindsey, you were fantastic," Kyle said, giving me a hug.

"Sis, that was incredible!" Ali chimed in, also giving me a hug, "How about we take Aria and we'll meet you at the party?"

I happily agreed and Aria hugged both Spencer and I before leaving with Ali, Kyle, Emma, and Kenzie.

I then turned back to my parents and mine and Spencer's hands found each other again, entangling themselves together.

"I don't think you guys have officially met," I began, "Mom, Dad, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Spencer, these are my parents, Katherine and Henry James."

Spencer shook my father's hand and my mother gave him a weak hug, "It's really nice to meet both of you. Lindsey's told me so much about you."

"I'm sure she has," my mother replied, "It's so nice to meet the man who has made our daughter so happy."

We made some more small talk before my mother asked the question I had been hoping she would avoid.

"So Spencer, what about your family?" my mother asked inquisitively.

"Um, well, my parents divorced when I was young. I'm an only child. I don't really keep in contact with my father, but I write to my mother every day. She still lives in Las Vegas, and I visited her a few weeks ago," Spencer explained, leaving out the part about the schizophrenia. It was hard for him to tell people that.

"Well, we should probably be getting to the party," I said, "Are you guys going to come?"

"I'm afraid not dear, I'm feeling a little tired," my mother replied, "But we'll see you for dinner tomorrow night, right?"

"Yeah, Aria and I will be there," I replied.

"Better yet, why don't you invite your team and their families," my mother said enthusiastically, "I'm feeling in the mood to throw a party!"

"Mom, are you sure?" I questioned her decision.

"Of course!" my mom replied, "I want to meet all of them formally, and it would be fun!"

I hesitantly agreed and they left, leaving Spencer and I to drive to the party.

* * *

When we arrived, the party was in full swing. There was music, food, dancing, and champagne, which was being carefully monitored to make sure no underage individuals tried to sneak some. As Spencer and I walked in, we spotted the team, and they motioned us over. Our hands intertwined as we made it to the group. We were chatting when I looked over to see Brooke watching us. She gave me a small smile and then pretended like she hadn't been watching.

"I'll be right back," I said, leaving the team and walking towards Brooke.

"Hey, you were great!" I said, paying her a compliment.

"Not as good as you," Brooke replied, "You were fabulous!"

"Thanks," I said, "So, do you want to come meet my team?"

"Are you serious?" Brooke asked me, an excited look on her face.

I hooked my arm through hers and led her over to the team.

"Guys, this is Brooke Haskins," I introduced her, "Brooke, these are Agents Hotchner, Rossi, Jareau, Morgan, and Dr. Reid."

"It is so nice to meet you all," she stammered, shaking their hands, "I'm a big fan."

"Brooke is thinking about interning next summer," I pointed out.

"Agent Rossi, my psychology class went to one of your lectures last fall, and it was sensational," Brooke raved.

Brooke and the team made some more small talk before her mother came and wanted to introduce her to some ballet talent scouts. She had a disappointed look on her face as she left.

* * *

The remainder of the night was filled with drinking and laughs. It was fun to kick back and relax with the team, when, in our usual time together, we saw some horrible, haunting things. I quietly pulled Spencer away from the team, and from Hotch's knowing glares. I had revealed the nature of Spencer and mine's relationship and it went against all of the bureau's fraternization. I walked back over to Hotch and asked if I could speak to him for a minute. He joined Spencer and me in a quiet corner of the party.

"This isn't exactly how we wanted to tell you Hotch," I began to explain.

"How long has this been going on?" Hotch asked sternly.

"Two weeks and three days sir," Spencer replied, looking like a child in the principal's office.

"First of all, you have a meeting with Strauss tomorrow morning, nine a.m. Second of all," Hotch paused, "I'm happy for both of you." Hotch said, his stern look turning into a smile.

"What?" Spencer and I said in unison, obviously surprised and confused.

"I don't know what Strauss will have to say, but I'm supportive of this, and I know the team and I will all come to bat for you, if need be," Hotch answered.

* * *

Later on, after the party, and after I had gotten home and put Aria to bed, Spencer and I were sitting on the front porch, in the porch swing.

"So, I think my parents liked you," I said, as Spencer's arm came around my shoulders.

"I like them too," Spencer replied, "So, my mom is pretty excited to meet you too. I started writing about you in my letters a few days after you started, and now, she is practically begging me to bring you to Vegas."

"I'm excited to meet her too," I said, "From what you've told me, she sounds like an amazing woman."

"I was thinking maybe you and Aria could come after Christmas?" Spencer said hurriedly, rather nervously, "I'm going there to spend Christmas day with her and the week following."

"I think that we'd love too," I replied, smiling at him, "As long as you come with Aria and me to Philadelphia for the support group."

"When is that?" Spencer questioned.

"We fly out the morning of the nineteenth and stay until the morning of the twenty-third," I answered, "You'll meet some pretty amazing people.""

"Really?" Spencer said.

"Hearing these people's stories, it really makes me love what I do now. We have people who have come all four years that we've been doing it. It's really rewarding," I replied.

Spencer and I shared a kiss before he left, as we both had to get up early for our meeting with Strauss. I was nervous as to what she had to say, praying for good news, expecting the worst.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up way earlier than needed, but I was really nervous. I paced for about an hour after I showered, anxious and jittery. I was finally able to calm myself down and I was able to get dressed. I put on an off-white tank top with black polka dots, a red cardigan, and black skinny trousers before slipping on a pair of black ballet flats. I was very thankful that Ali had come and gotten Aria early this morning, so I had more time to get ready, or in my case, freak out.

I drove to work, still freaking out. I parked, made it through security, and got into the elevator. I was the only occupant, making me stress out even more. I didn't know what Strauss was going to do, but I had an idea of what I didn't want her to do. I didn't want her to make me choose between the job and Spencer, that was for sure.

I got out of the elevator and saw Spencer pacing. Neither of us said a word as we waited for Strauss. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she came out of her office and asked us to come in. When we sat down across from her, I felt like her eyes were reading deep into my soul.

"I believe that you two know why you are here, is that correct?" Strauss asked in a stern voice.

"Yes ma'am," Spencer and I responded.

"You two realize that you have broken almost every fraternization rule in existence, do you not?" Strauss reprimanded.

Again we both responded by saying yes ma'am, which made me feel like I was a kindergartner in the principal's office again.

"Now, normally I would give you two options: either find another place of employment or end your relationship," Strauss began, "But, because of recent events that have transpired, I can no longer do that."

I was flabbergasted, and as I turned towards Spencer, I saw that he was too. We both had shocked looks on our faces, with a tad bit of confusion mixed in.

"There have been several people who have come forward, and these individuals are contesting the fraternization rules of the Bureau. Until the matter is sorted out, the rules have been frozen temporarily," Strauss explained.

"Ma'am," I cut in, "If I understand you correctly, the rules are basically gone until everything is solved. Is that right?"

"Yes, Agent Parker, until this is solved, the rules are out the window," Strauss said, and a smile even crossed her face, "Now, as long as Agent Hotchner okays it, and you remain professional at work at all times, you have the blessing of the bureau for the time being."

"Thank you," Spencer said, standing up and shaking her hand. I followed suit and turned to leave when she spoke directly towards me.

"Tell Aria that I said hi," Strauss said, that same smile still on her face.

As I walked out, Spencer was waiting for me and we entered the elevator.

"Can you believe that?" I asked, still not entirely believing it myself.

"No," Spencer began, "The chances of that happening are at least one in…"

"Save the statistics and kiss me," I said bluntly, wanting to savor this moment.

My heart began to race as his hands gently cupped my face. He leaned in, and his lips pressed against mine. My lips opened against his, deepening the kiss. This was what I had dreamt would happen and it actually had. When I was younger, I always believed that dreams would come true. It always happened for the princesses that I read about in fairy tales. As I got older, though, I realized that you can't always get what you want. But here and now, I had, and I didn't want to lose it for anything. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I do! I'm sorry that it took so long for me to update. I've been really busy with finals! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

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**Also, if you want to see how I pictured Lindsey's performance, remove the spaces in this url and go to this website. Watch the first two minutes and ten seconds. That is how I pictured Lindsey's showcase performance! www. youtube watch?v=9xNqbvNx_C8**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank lmacwhinney, Blueberrytoast, 1920noir, and ****20000 WPM**** for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One

Spencer and I made it to the office, to find that we weren't the last ones there. Hotch was missing, and no one on the team had seen him this morning. Just as we were starting to get worried, he and Penelope walked in, both looking frazzled, and told us to get to the round table room.

As we all sat down, Penelope pointed the remote at the screen, and five photos appeared. They were all of young girls, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Two of them looked to be younger than Aria.

"The field office in Anchorage needs our help. They're currently understaffed and are overflowing with cases. This case was given to a rookie and her unit chief wouldn't let her call us in until our latest victim was kidnapped, which was two weeks ago," Hotch explained.

"And we're just now hearing about this?" I questioned.

"Like I said, they're undermanned. Too many cases, not enough agents," Hotch explained, "Go ahead Garcia."

"So, each one of these girls has been kidnapped over the past two months. Our first victim is Bree Taylor, age five. She was snatched eight weeks ago from her front yard. Mom left her and her three year old brother outside and ran in to grab the phone. When she came out, Bree was gone," Penelope began.

"Next is Charlotte Hayes, age six. She has been missing for six weeks. She was abducted while playing at a neighborhood park. Next is Hazel Murphy, age seven. She was kidnapped four weeks ago while attending her older brother's high school basketball game," Penelope continued.

"Next is Piper Hawkes, age four. She was abducted two weeks ago while walking with her six year old sister Ella to their grandmother's house, which was two doors down from their own. According to the sister, a van pulled up, grabbed Piper, and then drove away. Finally, our latest victim is three year old Eva Reese. She was abducted from her daycare center two weeks ago," Penelope finished.

"I thought they upped the security in childcare facilities?" JJ questioned.

"They did," Penelope responded, "According to the daycare worker, the man who came in seemed distraught. He said he was Eva's uncle and needed to check her out, because her mother, his sister, was in the hospital. She didn't question it because he provided ID, John Smith from Idaho, very original. He also had the ID card, which had to be slid outside to unlock the door," Penelope said, "Eva's mother had her purse stolen the day before."

"So the perp steals her purse, uses her ID card to get into the daycare, then poses as her brother and steals Eva," Derek rationalized.

"Well, we don't have any more time to waste. Wheels up in ten," Hotch said, as we all stood up and headed out.

* * *

I got to my desk and was about to get my stuff together when my phone buzzed. _**1 new message,**_ the screen read.

_**Hey sweetheart. Your father and I are excited to see you and your team tonight at dinner! What time do you think you'll be here? ~Mom**_

I had completely forgotten about the dinner. I hesitantly got my purse and go bag together and went into the hall, dialing my mom's number on the way.

"Hello," my mom answered, sounding a little weak.

"Hey mom," I replied, "It's me."

"Oh Lindsey, dear, I'm so glad you called," my mom said, "I wanted to talk to you about dinner tonight."

"About that, mom," I began, "We just got a case. We're about to board the jet to Anchorage, Alaska. I'll be gone for a few days."

"Oh, that must be perfect timing then, not about your case, but I'm not feeling too well, the side effects, you know. Maybe we can reschedule?" my mom replied.

* * *

I ended the conversation with my mom, knowing she wasn't feeling well, and boarded the plane. It was a quiet plane ride. JJ had told me that cases involving kids were always like this. I sifted through the files, mainly keeping my eyes transfixed on the photos. These girls were so young and innocent. To be ripped from your family like that, I couldn't even imagine. I was brought out of my thoughts by Hotch's voice.

"When we land, we'll be heading straight to the Anchorage field office to meet with Agent Bering, the lead agent on the case," Hotch said, "After we meet with Agent Bering, I want JJ and Lindsey to interview all the families while Rossi and I go to the abduction sites and Morgan and Reid, you two stay at the office and start working up a geographical profile."

The silence resumed after Hotch's instructions. Sure, all cases were horrible to see and experience, but the ones with kids really made you hate humanity. How could a human being take away something so innocent and pure? These cases were especially hard for the parents on the team: JJ, Hotch, and myself. Something in these kids always reminded us of our own kids.

* * *

Finally, the plane landed and we made it to the Anchorage field office. Walking into the office, there wasn't really any sense of urgency that I could see. Everyone, all men I noticed, was sitting at their desks, leisurely taking long sips of coffee, texting, and glancing at files every once in a while. When I finally did see some tangible movement, it was coming from a dark-blonde haired woman who looked to be about my age. She rolled her eyes when she saw the men in the office doing nothing as she left an office in the corner of the room. She approached the team hurriedly, seeming rather anxious.

"You must be BAU," she said, "I'm so glad that you're all here."

"We're looking for an Agent Bering," Hotch said authoritatively.

"You're looking at her," the woman said, "SSA Hope Bering, it's nice to meet you."

Hotch looked surprised, as did the rest of the team at the reveal of her identity. Nevertheless, he shook her hand, as we all did. We had all, though, been expecting an older, more experienced agent to be the lead on this case.

"Why don't you follow me," Agent Bering said, "I set up the conference room as your technical analyst requested."

We followed her into a spacious room with a large, round table, along with a series of boards already plastered with witness statements and the victims' photos. We all took our seats as Agent Bering stayed standing, nervously looking out the door at the rest of her team. I could hear them laughing, and I knew the rest of the team could too.

She shut the door, and then returned to face us.

"Sorry about them," she began, "They're not exactly the most supportive bunch."

"Not to be rude, Agent Bering," Derek darted in, "But how did you become the lead agent on this case?"

"I can see where you're coming from," Agent Bering replied, "I've only been with the Bureau for a year and a half. Since day one when I was placed on this team, the guys haven't had the most faith in me. They don't think I have what it takes to be an agent. When this case came across our table, none of them wanted it. No one wants to work the cases with kids. I'd been begging to be lead on a case since my first day. So they handed it to me and told me good luck."

"Well, we're here to help as much as we can," Hotch assured her.

"Thank you," Agent Bering said, "I could use all the help I can get. Since I've been on the case, another girl has gone missing, making it five girls in all."

"We're going to do everything we can to find them Agent Bering," I replied, trying to reassure her.

"Please call me Hope," she said, "So, where should we begin?"

"Well, I already have two of my agents, JJ and Lindsey, going to interview the five families. Since they're both mothers, I figured that they would be able to sympathize with the families. Agent Rossi and I will be checking out the abduction sites. That leaves you here with Reid and Morgan. They're going to start working up a geographical profile. I'm sure they could use your help," Hotch explained.

"That sounds good," Hope said, readjusting her dark blazer. She looked very professional. Something I had noticed, aka profiled, to be because she wanted to convince her superiors that she was cut out for the job and took it seriously. From her behavior, I could tell she was determined to prove herself.

* * *

JJ and I drove to the first family's house, the Taylor's. As we approached the one-story home on a cul-de-sac in a happy looking subdivision, I could almost feel the happiness drain from me. It was like we hit a brick wall. We parked in the driveway, got out, walked up the sidewalk, and rang the doorbell. I turned to my right and saw a pink bike with training wheels sitting propped up on the porch. Seeing this brough tears to my eyes. They probably hadn't moved it since Bree had been abducted.

A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes opened the door, wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. There were dark circles underneath her eyes, but she had tried to cover them up with concealer. Her hair was pulled up into a haphazard ponytail.

"Hi Mrs. Taylor," JJ began, "My name is Jennifer Jareau and this is Lindsey Parker, we're with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit."

We showed her our credentials and she gave us a weak smile before letting us in. Just as she shut the door, a small boy ran into the entryway, straight into her arms.

"Mommy!" he cried, a huge smile on his face.

His light brown hair was arranged messily on his head, and his shirt had a large, mysterious stain on it.

"Camden, mommy and daddy need to speak to these nice ladies, so can you go color in the dining room for a little bit?" she asked.

"Okay mommy," Camden replied, "Who are they?"

"These ladies are from the FBI," Joanne replied, "They're going to find Bree."

He happily accepted this answer and toddled off to the dining room. Joanne led us to the living room, where a harried, frazzled looking man with dark hair and dark eyes sat. When he saw us enter, he stood up and shook our hands. We introduced ourselves, and he did the same.

"Are there any breaks in the case?" Erick asked.

"Not yet sir," I began, "But we're doing everything we can to find your daughter.

"She was the first one. She's been missing for eight weeks," Joanne said, "What if..."

She couldn't finish her sentence as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Right now, there's no evidence to suggest that," I replied, "So to us, she's alive, and we're going to find her."

"Can you tell us what happened on the day she disappeared?" JJ asked.

"Erick was at work. I was home with Bree and Camden," Joanne started, "We were playing in the front yard and I ran in to grab my phone. I was only gone for a few seconds. When I came back, she was gone, and all I could hear tires squealing."

"Now, it said in the report that Camden saw the person who took Bree. Is that correct?" I asked.

"All he could tell us was that a man in a brown van took Bree away," Joanne said, her voice trembling.

"Our neighbor at the end of the street, Elsa, she says that a van drove by her home very fast right after that. She said it didn't even stop at the stop sign," Erick said, his arms surrounding his wife to comfort her.

We got a few more details before heading to the next family's home, the Hayes' family.

* * *

Again, I could felt the sadness as we pulled up to their home, a two story home in a more expensive subdivision. The door was answered by the father this time, Mason Hayes. He led us into their living room and we began asking him and his wife, Emily, questions.

"What can you remember about the day Charlotte was abducted?" JJ asked.

"We were at the park. I decided to take her and Alex last minute. She was playing on the jungle gym and I started talking to one of the other moms. When I looked back at where she'd been, she was gone. And then I saw a brown van leave the parking lot really fast. I called 911 almost immediately afterwards," Emily explained.

"You did the right thing," I assured her.

"If I would have been paying attention, my daughter would be here, at home, with us," Emily said defensively, "No one has done anything to try and find her so far, so what's going to be different with you?"

She got up and went into the kitchen, obviously frustrated.

"I'm sorry," Mason began, "This has been hard on her, on all of us really. Maybe you should go?"

We graciously saw ourselves out, heading to the next family, the Murphy's.

* * *

Entering their home was like entering a war zone. I saw Tanner, the father, having an argument with a teenage boy, sixteen year old Heath. Hailey, the mother, was trying to break up a fight between the two other children in the home, ten year old Henry and four year old Harper. When we entered, silence filled the air, as Hailey instructed the two younger children to go to their rooms. Heath, the oldest, stormed out of the house, and we then heard a car pulling away.

"Sorry about all of that," Hailey began to explain, "It's just been hectic for the past month."

"Heath doesn't seem to be taking this too well," I implied.

"He's just in that rebellious teenager stage," Tanner said, "And all of this doesn't help too much."

"So, can you tell us what happened on the night Hazel disappeared?" I asked.

"We were at Heath's basketball game," Hailey explained, "He's the varsity star. Hazel wanted some popcorn, and wanted to go by herself, so I gave her some money and off she went. From where I was sitting, I could see here standing in line, so I wasn't worried. Then I got focused on the game and when I looked again, I didn't see her. I went out there and one of the girls at the concession stand was yelling that someone needed to call police, that a little girl had been kidnapped. I knew that it was Hazel."

We discussed a few more things before leaving the Murphy household and going to the Hawkes residence. We were taken to their living room, and sat down to talk with Jason, Anne-Marie, and their other daughter, Ella.

* * *

"So, Ella, can you tell me what happened on the day you were walking to your grandmother's house?" JJ asked.

"Piper and I were walking there. She was on the side of the sidewalk closer to the street. We were talking about horses when a van pulled up. The back door slid open and a man pulled her inside. Then they drove away," Ella explained.

"Did you notice anything about the van?" I asked.

"It was brown and it looked kind of old," Ella began, "And I remember two of the things on the license plate. E6. I remember because my name starts with an E and I'm six!"

"That is very helpful to us Ella," JJ said, "Thank you for that."

We asked a few more questions before heading to the final home, the Reese family.

* * *

Shayla, the mom, answered the door. She had a small boy, her son Landon, who looked to be about a year old, strategically placed on her hip. He had light blonde hair and blue eyes, and looked like a carbon copy of his mother. We sat down in the living room and her husband Ethan joined us.

"What can you tell us about the day that Eva was abducted?" I asked.

"I went to go pick up Eva from daycare," Ethan began, "When I got there, Sadie, her teacher, asked why I wasn't at the hospital with Shayla. I told her that I didn't know what she was talking about. That's when she told me about the man who came and got Eva. I quickly told her that Shayla doesn't have a brother, and that's when we called the police."

"We're very sorry about what's happened, but we're doing everything we can to find your daughter and the other missing girls," I said sympathetically.

"This has all just been really stressful," Shayla said, "And on top of everything, I found out the day that Eva was kidnapped, that I'm pregnant. A real shocker."

"Congratulations," JJ and I both said.

"Do either of you have children?" Shayla asked.

JJ responded first, "I have a four year old son named Henry."

I responded next, "I have a five year old daughter named Aria."

"How would you cope with knowing that you might not see your child again?" Shayla asked, tears in her eyes.

With that, JJ and I were both speechless. Not knowing how to answer the question that we knew someone would ask. I couldn't even begin to imagine what my life would be like without Aria.

"Shayla, I know what this pain feels like," I said, "My husband was killed while I was pregnant. I went through it alone."

* * *

We stayed for a bit longer, calming Shayla down and talking to the two of them, just trying to understand them and get to know them better. This, however, was interrupted when Agent Bering, Hope, walked in.

"I'm sorry, the door was unlocked," she said, a small smile on her face, "I'm SSA Hope Bering."

She introduced herself and shook hands with both Shayla and Ethan.

"I'm really sorry to have to do this, but I'm going to have to steal Agent Jareau and Agent Parker. They're needed back at headquarters and it can't wait," Hope said.

"Thank you for your time," I said, and I knew sympathy was covering my face, although I couldn't make it go away.

"We will let you know if we find out anything," JJ assured the couple, "Here's my card. Call me if you have any questions."

We gave them our final goodbyes and walked outside with Hope. I wasn't expecting JJ's reaction.

"Agent Bering, what was that?" she said, a slight bit of anger in her voice, "We were in the middle of an interview with the latest victim's parents, you can't just barge in. They're going through a roller-coaster of emotions right now. They're unpredictable. And to top it all of, the victim's mother just found out that she's pregnant."

"I'm sorry, but neither of you answered your cells and I had to get a hold of you somehow," Hope persisted.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait five minutes for us to finish?" JJ questioned.

"Another girl was just abducted, same M.O." Hope said.

"Are they sure that she's connected to our other victims?" I asked.

"Eight year old girl, blonde hair, blue eyes, abducted while at a shopping mall with her mom and three younger sisters," Hope explained, "Everything fits. We're going to the hospital now to interview the mother. Apparently, she won't talk to anyone. She's in hysterics and they had to take her to the hospital from the mall because of the risks."

"Risks?" JJ questioned, confused.

"The girl, Kaelie Webber, her mom is seven months pregnant with twins," Hope said, "They had to transport her to the hospital after she started to have a panic attack. They were concerned about what this amount of stress could do to the twins. We'll interview her at the hospital. Hotch said she's been sedated for a while, should be calm enough to talk to us now."

I settled into my seat as we all got into the SUV. I was not looking forward to the drive and interview ahead of us. I had already had to interview five families today who had lost their little girls. I don't think I could deal with another one. Oh well, here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Sorry about the long time between updates. I had to study for finals, but now, that's over and I have a five day weekend! Look for more updates very soon! **

**Special shout-out to Hope'sFace, who was the creator of SSA Hope Bering's character and graciously allowed me to feature her in my story! This was a way for both of our stories to intertwine in a way! Check out her fanfiction! **

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty-One of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank lmacwhinney, 20000 WPM, Attack-of-the-Blue-Penguins, Lenika08, TheMysteriousGeek2345, dmfrancis7, and ArtisticAngel6 for their amazing reviews!**

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Chapter Twenty-Two

We made it to the hospital faster than I would have liked too. Upon entering the hospital, we made our way to the third floor, where Veronica Webber's room was located. On the drive over, I had looked over what we had on Tyler and Veronica Webber. They were young, he being twenty-eight, she being twenty-seven, and they already had four girls with two on the way. All girls, I smiled to myself when I read that. I also saw that she must have been a Kardashian fan, because all four of her daughters had names that started with the letter K. (Kaelie, Kyndal, Kaia, and Khloee)

As we entered the room, I immediately recognized the three girls from the photos that I had seen of them. They were laying on the floor, coloring. Veronica was sitting in the hospital bed, Tyler sitting in a chair beside it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Webber," Hope began, "My name is Hope Bering, I'm with the the FBI. These are Agents Jennifer Jareau and Lindsey Parker with the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

We shook both of their hands, introducing ourselves. Just as we finished, a woman, Veronica's mother, entered the room. Tyler and Veronica had arranged for her to take the girls down to the cafeteria while we interviewed them.

Once we were finally alone with them, the questions began.

"Mr. and Mrs. Webber, first of all, we're very for what's happened, but we're determined and working hard to find your daughter," I began, "Mrs. Webber, can you tell us what happened today?"

"I was at the mall with all the girls," she began, "Kaia and Khloee were in the double stroller, and Khloee kept unbuckling herself. She wouldn't stop trying to escape, so I pulled over to a bench and stopped, sitting down to buckle her back in and discipline her. Kaelie was standing over by a store window, calling my name, trying to get me to look at something. I turned my back for one second, and when I turned back around, she was gone."

"Do you have any idea who could have done this?" JJ asked.

"The only person who wants Kaelie is Sean," Veronica said, a painful expression on her face.

"Who is Sean?" Hope asked fervently.

"Sean Tuttle is Kaelie's biological father," Veronica admitted.

Seeing that we needed her to go into more detail, she hesitated, took a deep breath, and then began explaining.

"Sophomore year of college I was dating Tyler. It was just a drunken one night stand with his roommate, Sean. Two months later, I found out that I was pregnant. I told Tyler everything and he forgave me. We decided to have the baby, and Tyler was going to raise it like it was his own," Veronica explained, "Sean, however, wasn't too happy about it. He wanted me to get an abortion or be with him. He confronted me on my way to class. By the time campus security pulled him off of me, I had a black eye, broken jaw, and had to get ten stitches. I filed assault charges. What I didn't know was that he was about to be charged for another crime. Rape of a minor. He raped a seventeen year old girl. Along with my charge, he got ten years in federal prison and had to register as a sex offender."

"If he had ten years, he'd still be in prison," JJ began.

"He got parole six months ago. We immediately got a restraining order against him, but that didn't stop him from going to Kaelie's school and sitting outside our house. He wanted custody of Kaelie, but after he went to prison, I had his parental rights terminated, and after Kaelie was born, Tyler adopted her," Veronica said, "He's the only one I can think of that could've taken Kaelie."

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Webster for your time," Hope said, shaking their hands as we began to leave.

"By the way, do you know what you're having?" I asked.

"Identical twin girls," Veronica said with a smile, "Kora and Kembry."

"Congratulations," JJ said, before we all left the room.

* * *

When we made it back to the office, Hotch and Rossi were seated around the table with Morgan and Spencer. They had a map on the whiteboard and were talking to Garcia via Skype.

"Good, I'm glad you're back," Hotch said, "We got something on the mall security tapes."

We watched the screen as we saw a figure all in black holding Kaelie, who looked to be sleeping, out a side entrance. The last thing the camera caught before the person left was wisps of long, blonde hair falling out of the hood of the black jacket the person was wearing.

"It's a woman?" I questioned, making sure I saw it right.

"We believe that it's a man and woman team. Possibly boyfriend and girlfriend or husband and wife," Rossi said, "When analyzing the abductions sites, one person had to be driving the get-away car while the other abducted the child."

"Wow," I said, as Garcia's face reappeared on the screen, "But we did find something out. Garcia, I need everything you have on a Sean Tuttle."

"Alright, in a jiff," Garcia said, as we heard her typing.

"Who is Tuttle?" Morgan asked.

"Kaelie Webber's biological father. He was Tyler Webber's roommate at college. He went to prison right after Veronica got pregnant," Iexplained.

"Well, my lovelies, this is one sick dude," Garcia began, "Sean Tuttle was convicted on one count of rape of a minor and one count of assault, which got him ten years in Goose Creek Correctional Center. He also had mandatory anger management classes. He was released on parole six months ago. He registered as a sex offender just as the courts told him to. Since then, the only thing I've got is a restraining order against him filed by the Webbers. He hasn't had a run with the law yet since he's been released."

"We need to speak to him Garcia," I said, "He's our only suspect. Can you get an address?"

"But of course," Garcia said, "Our creeper lives about a half hour from your current location. Address is 19805 Bowery Lane, Chugiak, Alaska."

"Thanks Garcia!" I called before our call was ended.

"Alright," Hotch began, "Lindsey, I want you and Reid to make the drive to Chugiak to talk to Tuttle."

"Okay," I said, a small smile gracing my face.

"Take this with you," Hotch said, holding out the photos of Kaelie that the Webbers had given us, "If he didn't do this, he might know who did, and the only way we're going to find out is by guilting it out of him."

* * *

Spencer and I got into the SUV ready for a long drive through stretches of nothing. The drive seemed to last forever, Spencer and I keeping up a conversation the whole way. Our relationship was still in the early stages, but it still seemed so easy to talk to him. I could already tell that I was falling head over heels for him.

We drove through a section of road with trees on either side of us before turning right, seeing a clearing, with a small manufactured house on it. We parked, amidst the piles of junk that surrounded us. I had to be very careful stepping over a lot of scrap metal and pieces of wood. Spencer even had to catch me when I almost fell as I didn't see a sleeping dog amidst the debris. We finally made it to the door of the trailer and I knocked, something I didn't want to do.

The door opened and a man with charming looking blue eyes opened the door and when he saw me, a large smile came to his face, but when Spencer moved into view, it lessened.

"How can I help you darlin'?" he asked.

Spencer and I held up our credentials before I answered, "Well, honey, we're with the FBI. Are you Sean Tuttle?"

"Yeah, but I didn't do anything," Sean insisted.

"Can we come in?" I said, plastering a smile on my face.

He opened the door and led us into a small living room. Spencer and I sat on the couch, while Sean sat in a large easy chair.

"Look, what's this about Agent...?" Sean began.

"Agent Lindsey Parker, and this is Dr. Spencer Reid," I introduced, "And this is about Kaelie Webber."

"Kaelie!" Sean exclaimed, "What happened? Is she alright?"

"That's what we came to ask you Sean," I said, "Kaelie was kidnapped this morning. Do you know anything about that?"

"No, I swear to God," Sean pleaded, "I love my daughter."

"But she's not really your daughter, is she Sean?" I taunted, wanting him to slip up and tell me something.

"That girl is my flesh and blood, not Tyler's," Sean stated, "She is my daughter. I made some mistakes in the past, and now I can't even visit my own daughter."

"Look Sean, we might be able to help you if you help us," I began, "Where were you this morning?"

"I had a meeting with my parole officer, you can check," he said defensively.

"Oh don't worry we will," I said, "Can you think of anyone that would want to take Kaelie?"

"How should I know?" Sean retorted, "I've been in prison for the majority of her life."

A sudden idea came to my mind, and as Spencer texted to find out if he had actually been at his parole meeting, I decided to go for it.

"Sean, did you tell anyone in prison about Kaelie?" I asked.

"Just my cellmate," Sean said, "I got pictures of Kaelie from Veronica's sister. She felt sorry for me, so she'd send me a photo of Kaelie every year. I hung them up in my cell."

"Who was your cellmate?" I asked him, finally getting somewhere.

"Joe...something," Sean said, "I can't remember his last name. He was in there for burglary, that's all I know. He always asked questions about Kaelie."

"Thank you Mr. Tuttle, that could really help us," I said, as Spencer and I stood up and walked towards the door.

"Agent Parker," Sean said, making me turn around, "Do you think I'll ever be able to see my daughter again?"

"That depends," I began.

"I've done everything the courts have told me to do. I've stayed fifty feet away at all times. I've taken the anger management classes. I've gone to therapy and counseling. I've changed. All I want is to be a part of her life," Sean said, tears coming to his eyes, and I could tell he was sincere.

I walked back towards Sean and held my hand out, with the photos of Kaelie that Hotch had given me. One was her school picture from this year. Another was her riding a horse. One was of her with a dolphin, taken during the Webster's vacation to Hawaii a month ago. He started crying when he looked through them and I turned and walked out the door, following Spencer.

* * *

"Do you believe him?" Spencer asked as we began making the journey back to Anchorage.

"Spence, you saw the tears in his eyes," I said, "That was sincere. He really, honestly, cares about Kaelie, and I think he's changed for the better."

Looking out the window, I could feel Spencer looking at me, and when I turned, our eyes met.

"What?" I asked, smiling.

"You always see the good in people and you never judge them," he said, as he took my hand.

I was flattered but I remembered Strauss' words. I could hear her in my head. We had to keep it professional while we were working. I smiled at him, but released his hand.

"Keep your eyes on the road," I said in a teasing voice, "I'd like to get back in one piece."

Spencer laughed and we continued our drive. We finally made it back to the field office and when we got inside, a lot of hustle and bustle was happening. We went into the conference room , both confused.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We tried calling you, but you must have not had service," JJ said, "Another girl was kidnapped."

"Oh my gosh," I said, disbelief was obvious in my voice, "Who?"

"Mattea Quinn, age five. She was abducted off the school playground. And this time, there's two witnesses," JJ explained.

"Good," I replied, "Where are they?"

"In there," JJ said, pointing towards an interview room.

I looked inside and saw Derek talking to two young girls.

"They kidnapped her in front of her friends?" I asked, "They must be pretty confident."

"And they had quite the story to tell Morgan," JJ said, "They said that they were playing by a broken spot in the fence around the playground. A brown van drove up and a man got out. There was a woman inside too, they said. He asked them if they wanted to play with his daughters and he pointed to the van. The girls said they saw six blonde haired blue eyed girls. They were able to pick out their photos. All the girls are still alive."

"Thank heavens," I said, giving a sigh of relief.

"When the girls said they weren't allowed to talk to strangers, the man grabbed Mattea, and ran back to the van. The girls, Lindy and Noelle, ran and told the teacher who called us," JJ finished explaining as the two girls left with their parents.

My phone then rang and when I saw that it was Garcia, I immediately picked up.

"You're going to love me," she said as I answered.

"What have you got for me?" I asked, a smile coming to my face.

"So, you know Sean Tuttle's cellmate, Joe something?" Penelope said.

"Yes Garcia, get on with it," I said as I put her on speaker so the team could hear.

"Well, I did some research and his name is Joseph Stratton, age thirty-nine. He's done prison time for burglary and arson. He's also currently married to Roxanne (Pryor) Stratton, age thirty-seven, who also has a healthy rap sheet. She has been in prison a total of twice. Once for armed robbery and the other for attempted murder. And guess who also has a brown van registered in his name?" Garcia explained.

"Stratton," I answered, shaking my head.

"I've put out an APB on the van, and Ella Hawkes was right. The license plate number was E67255. I've sent their pictures to every bus station and airport. I've also arranged for the story to be broadcast on the news. All of the girls' photos will be shown, along with a photo of the van and of Joseph and Roxanne Stratton," Garcia stated.

"Great job Garcia," Hotch said.

"Thank you sir, but there's one more thing," Garcia said, "Roxanne Stratton had a hysterectomy at the age of eighteen, after years of medical problems. She can't have kids, Hotch."

"Thank you Garcia," Hotch said, "We'll keep in touch."

* * *

"So she and her husband are kidnapping these girls because they want to build their own family, since they can't biologically have their own?" I speculated.

"That sounds like a fair statement, and it makes sense," Rossi stated.

We spent the next little while answering the tipline, only to follow a lot of false leads. One call that I answered, however, was something of interest.

"FBI Tipline, this is Agent Lindsey Parker," I said as I answered the phone.

"My name is Meg Cartell. I work at Ginger's, a diner in Soldotna, Alaska. I just saw the news while I was taking my break in the back, and when I came out, my next customers were the people on the news. The man and the woman, they have seven little girls, and they're about to order," Meg said, sounding scared.

"Okay, calm down," I said, "Can you stall? We need some time to get there. And slowly, go up to the other customers, tell them quietly what's going on, tell them to tell no one, and to leave. Don't have them all leave at once, or it will look suspicious."

"I can do that," Meg said, "But please hurry."

"Hotch," I said as I hung up the phone, "We've got 'em. They're in Soldotna. That's about a fifteen minute drive. We need to move fast. I'll fill you in on the way."

* * *

We drove very fast, and made it Soldotna in a little over ten minutes. We parked the SUVs next door at a bait and tackle shop to talk about our plan.

"Hotch, we can't endanger the girls' lives. If we go in, guns raised, Joseph and Roxanne will go down shooting. We've got to go in, a few of us at a time, looking like normal customers. We'll wear jackets over our vests, still fully armed and protected. I think I know how we can get these girls out of here alive," I said.

"Alright," Hotch agreed, "Lindsey and Spencer, you'll go in first together, and I want you to act like a happy couple, which shouldn't be too hard for you."

I could feel myself blushing a bit as Hotch said that, but Spencer and I agreed, and Hotch went on explaining.

"Hope, you'll enter with me next. After us will be JJ and Morgan, and after them will be Rossi. Stay as normal as possible. We'll all have earpieces in to communicate with each other. Let's move," Hotch said.

I took a deep breath as I strapped on my vest. I zipped up a pink Hollister hoodie over it, making myself just look like I'd gained a bit of weight. I was nervous and my hands were shaking. I didn't want anything to happen to my team or the girls. My nerves disappeared when Spencer's hand found mine. He planted a kiss on my forehead, a gesture of reassurance, as we walked into the diner.

* * *

It was a sixties' flashback diner, with memorabilia on the walls. It was actually quite quaint. I immediately noticed the emptiness of the restaurant except for the seven blonde haired little girls who were seated with Joseph and Roxanne Stratton. They were seated at the far end of the diner, in a large booth. Spencer and I chose a table on the other side of the diner, where we were able to see them at a perfect angle. Once we were seated, the waitress came over, and her name tag read "Meg."

"Are you?" she whispered.

I slipped my credentials out of my pocket, quickly showing her while keeping my eyes on the Strattons.

"Yes, we're FBI," I answered, "Our team is going to move in slowly, a few at a time, looking like normal customers. Just treat us like you would any other patron for now."

"What can I get for you?" she asked, the nervousness in her voice still apparent.

Spencer and I both ordered cheeseburgers and milkshakes, not wanting to raise suspicions. A few minutes after we entered, Hotch and Hope came in. Meg seated them at a table in the middle of the diner, between the Strattons and Spencer and I. Right on cue, JJ and Morgan entered next, being seated by the closest table to the bathrooms. Rossi entered last, being seated right by the door.

Spencer and I slowly ate our food, keeping our eyes on the Strattons as much as we were able without being caught. Once our food was finished and Meg had taken our plates, however, Joseph Stratton kept looking at us, and I knew he might be on to us, so I, without second guessing myself, leaned across the table and pressed my lips to Spencer's, hoping this would end Joseph's suspicions.

The kiss was sweet and delicate, hopefully throwing off Joseph and Roxanne. As we pulled apart, our hands found each other's on the table and we started talking about something random. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kaelie get up with a tray, walking towards the garbage can, which was close to the table I was seated at. I grabbed the water that I'd been drinking and spilled it on the floor by the garbage can, then let my frustrations to Spencer be known, chastizing him for spilling the water in such a nice restaurant. I grabbed some napkins and when Kaelie reached the garbage can, the tray was tipping, and, as luck would have it, she dropped the tray, and all its contents. I stopped cleaning up the water mess that I'd deliberately made and slipped my credentials out of my pocket.

"Kaelie, my name is Lindsey and I'm with the FBI," I said, "We're here to help get you and the other girls back home. Can you get all the girls to the bathroom?"

Kaelie simply nodded and I finished helping her clean up before she walked back to the table. I finished cleaning up my own water mess as I sat back down.

* * *

"Hotch," I said, knowing he could hear me through the earpiece, "I have a plan. Kaelie's going to get the girls into the bathroom. When she does, JJ and I will make our way over there. I'll have JJ stay with them and I'll come back out to help with the takedown."

"Okay Lindsey, but be smart about this," Hotch said.

I could hear Kaelie as she walked back to her table and sat down. I knew she and all the other girls were terrified, but her courage was admirable.

"I have to go the bathroom..Mommy," she hesitated as she said this.

"I do too," all the other girls chimed in.

"I can take them Mommy," Kaelie said, a smile that was obviously fake jumped onto her face, "You should finish your food."

Roxanne had a triumphant smile on her face as she replied, "Okay sweetheart, but be careful."

All seven girls walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Casually, I stood up and so did JJ. Roxanne and Joe were in deep conversation, smiling at each other, so they didn't notice us both enter the bathroom after the girls. As we entered the bathroom, we found seven crying little girls. JJ locked the main bathroom door as we tried to comfort the girls. Eva, the youngest at only three, was especially terrified.

"Girls, my name is Lindsey and this is JJ. We're with the FBI, we're the good guys," I explained, "We're here to get you back home. Now, I need you to girls to stay in here with JJ and be as quiet as you can."

I exited the bathroom and I heard the lock click back as the door shut behind me. I sat back down at my table with Spencer and I knew that we had to act fast. Joseph and Roxanne would soon grow suspicious of why the girls hadn't returned.

* * *

"Hotch, we have to move now. If we don't, they'll start to wonder what's taking the girls so long," I insisted.

"Everyone, move in now," Hotch said in a low voice.

We all unzipped our jackets and stood up, retrieving our guns and moving towards Joseph and Roxanne.

Hope was the one to speak, "Joseph and Roxanne Stratton, FBI."

Joseph's hand immediately went to his belt.

"If you try to pull out your gun, I swear I'll blow your brains out," Hope said angrily.

"My wife and I don't plan on going to prison again," Joseph said in a sickening voice.

"Did you really think you wouldn't get caught?" Hope said, "You knew the FBI was looking for you."

"You think we're scared of the FBI?" Joseph said, as he and his wife both laughed, "You people don't know anything about what we've been through. We tried to adopt, but the stupid legal system wouldn't give a kid to two ex-cons. This was our only choice."

"I'm sorry that's what you thought, but stealing other people's children wasn't the right answer to your problem," Hope said, as Roxanne slowly pulled a gun out of her pocket and pointed it at Hope, her hands shaking.

"Please," she said through tears, "Don't take them away from me. They're all I have. You want to take away my only reason for living!"

"Roxanne, put the gun down," I said, ready to take the shot at her if necessary.

"We can get you help, but only if you let us," Hope said, "Put the gun down Roxanne. It's over."

Roxanne shuddered as she set the gun on the ground and stood up, her hands in the air. Joseph, on the other hand, saw Roxanne surrender, and his eyes went wild, darting from agent to agent. He pulled his gun out and pointed it at me, but before he could pull the trigger, I fired my own gun.

* * *

Roxanne screamed, but Derek had her in handcuffs and quickly led her outside. Hotch made his way to Joseph's body and felt for a pulse. When he shook his head, I slipped my gun back into the holster and ran to the bathroom. As the ambulance staff came and took the body, I kept the girls in the bathroom. When they finally took Joseph Stratton's body away, I led the girls out of the bathroom. Eva had literally jumped into my arms, and her head snuggled into my shoulder. She was clinging to me and wouldn't let me put her down. We left Soldotna accomplishing what we had wanted to.

People asked how I could do this job, how I could handle all the darkness that we say. "Why do you do it?" they asked. The answer was for days like today, days when I get to help reunite families. It was one of the best sites in the world to see these little girls run into their parents' arms. Eva had wriggled herself from my grasp and transferred her clinginess to her father. All the parents and the girls were crying. Even I shed a few tears.

* * *

I gathered my things and was about ready to leave for the jet a few hours later when Hope stopped me.

"Agent Parker," she said, "Thank you for everything. I couldn't have solved this case without you."

"Agent Bering," I stated, "I don't think you're going to have to worry about respect after today. You were a huge part in this take down, and I think your team should know that they're lucky to have you."

"One more thing Agent Parker," Hope said, "Veronica Webber asked me to give this to you."

She handed me a small white envelope, and when I opened it, I couldn't help but smile. After we had returned the girls to their parents, Veronica and the other parents had insisted on a photo of the team and Hope with the girls, saying that they wanted to always remember the people who saved their daughters' lives. This was that photo. Eva was in my arms, and the rest of the team and girls were smiling. I knew this would be a great addition to my scrapbook.

As I boarded the plane, I took the scrapbook out of my bag and slipped the photo into a protective sleeve, it now joining the rest of the victims' photos that I had put in there. This had been a tough case, for all of us, but it had also been the first case where I had to shoot someone. It was hard, to think that I had taken a life, but it made it easier to think that Joseph Stratton could have easily taken seven today, by killing the girls. I was thankful that Hotch had given us the next few days off. The office was being fumigated, which meant a little break. Spencer and I had already planned to spend it together, with Aria, just relaxing and having fun. I couldn't help but think about how lucky I was to have him in my life. Here I go.

* * *

**Longest chapter by far!  
**

**Special shout-out to Hope'sFace, who was the creator of SSA Hope Bering's character and graciously allowed me to feature her in my story! This was a way for both of our stories to intertwine in a way! Check out her fanfiction!**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Two of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Miss McGee, Not-Knowing-Is-Everything,Attack-of-the-Blue-Penguins, amrawo, and MrCottonTail for their amazing reviews.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

Once the plane landed back home, I was itching to get home to Aria. I just needed to be with her after seeing everything that I had these past few days. I had to stay for a few hours to do some paperwork to tie up some loose ends about shooting Joseph Stratton, but I finally finished at five, and gathered my stuff to go. I wanted to surprise Aria by taking her to the beach house my parents owned at Chesapeake Beach for the three days that I had off. When I turned around to leave, I was met by Spencer. I jumped, not expecting him to be there.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" Spencer said, sounding worried.

"No, I guess I'm still just a little on edge," I explained.

"Heading home?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "I think I'm going to take Aria away for the break since we have one. My parents own a beach house at Chesapeake Beach. We usually go there every summer but with FBI training and my mom, we haven't had the time. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity."

"That sounds like fun," Spencer replied, "You two will have a great time."

As he began to walk away, I made an impulsive decision.

"You could come if you want," I said quickly, "I'm sure I wouldn't hate the adult conversation."

"I don't want to intrude," Spencer said nervously, which made me walk towards him and let my hand intertwine with his.

"What if I told you that I wanted you to come?" I said, "Would that change your mind?"

"You could convince me," he replied, as he placed a chaste kiss to my lips, "I'm convinced."

I smiled at him, thinking of the big step that I was taking. I knew that I wanted Spencer to be a part of mine and Aria's life, but I was still scared about it not working out. Hopefully, these next three days could change my mind.

"I just have to talk to Hotch," Spencer said reluctantly, "I'll be right back."

My hand slipped from his grasp as he walked up towards Hotch's office.

* * *

I was then surrounded by Derek, JJ, Penelope, and Dave.

"Family road trip?" Derek asked, nudging my shoulder.

"Come on guys, lighten up," I pleaded, "Yes, Spencer and I are in a relationship, and no, I will not give you any details."

"Oh, but come on cupcake," Dave said, "We're your family."

"Yes, the nosy kind," I replied, "All you guys need to know is that I care about Spencer and he cares about me. End of story."

I finished explaining just as Spencer came out of Hotch's office, a look of confusion on his face when he saw me surrounded by the rest of the team. They scattered once they saw him, all pretending to look like they were working. I grabbed my purse, and took Spencer's hand as we made our way to the elevator. I was excited for the break now, more than I had been before.

* * *

Once we got to the parking lot, he walked me to my car and I turned to face him.

"I'm going to go home and pack," he said, "I'll come over in an hour?"

"Sounds great," I said, eager for him to kiss me again.

And he did. One final, sweet kiss before I got into my car and drove home. Aria was very glad to see me. Ali had brought her home a few hours ago and had stayed, much to my luck. Once I told her my plans, she immediately took me upstairs and helped me pack. She picked out a bunch of stuff, most of which I didn't see. So, I didn't exactly know what ended up in my suitcase, but I changed from my work clothes into a pair of white shorts, a thin brown and white checkered button up shirt, and brown sandals.

As I went into Aria's room to help her pack, Ali looked at me, and her gaze was scrutinizing. She came up to me and undid a few buttons on my shirt. I slapped her hand and pulled her out into the hallway.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked.

"I'm just trying to help you out sis," she replied, hands up in defense as she left.

I brushed it off, but I only redid one button, leaving the other undone. I finished helping Aria pack just in time for the doorbell to ring. I hurried down the stairs, almost tripping in the process. Aria was right on my heels. I think she's almost as excited as I am. When I opened the door, Aria flew into Spencer's arms.

"Spencer!" she shouted mid-air, thankfully he caught her.

"Hey!" Spencer exclaimed, not expecting the sudden hello, "Someone's excited!"

I grabbed mine and Aria's bags and we headed out to my car. It was going to be about an hour's drive so I settled Aria in with a movie on my tablet, which would keep her occupied for the drive. Spencer and I kept up a conversation, talking about how nosy our team members were. He kept me laughing and smiling all the way to the beach house. We made it there at quarter to seven, as we took our bags inside, the memories flooded back from last summer, before I'd Spencer, and before I joined the FBI. There were pictures all over the place, courtesy of my mom. She had a whole wall dedicated to her grandchildren, seeing the pictures of Aria when she was little made me smile. One of my favorites was one of her and me a few hours after she was born.

* * *

I put Aria's bag into what was her room when we usually stayed here. That's when I realized the moral dilemma that I was facing. But before I could even think about it anymore, I found Spencer putting his things into the guest room. I crossed my arms and leaned against the door frame, admiring his gentleman ways.

"So I see you found your room," I said, a small smile on my face.

Spencer was about to answer, but before he could, Aria came up behind me and tugged on my arm.

"Mommy," she said, "What are we going to do now?"

"Do you remember what we do when we get here?" I asked, knowing that she fully knew.

"Walk on the boardwalk and eat dinner," Aria said proudly, "That's what we always do on our first night here."

"Well we can't break tradition, now can we?" Spencer said, smiling at Aria.

We walked down the boardwalk to a little hole-in-the-wall seafood place that had been in business for twenty years. My parents were friends with the owners, and when they saw me come in, they insisted on letting our meals be on the house. They also insisted on taking a photo of the three of us, something I wasn't about to fight them on. I liked having these memories. Plus, I knew the team would be begging to see photos anyway.

We finished dinner and continued walking on the boardwalk, Aria in between Spencer and I, holding one of each of our hands, something she had been doing a lot lately. Many times while walking we were told how cute of a family we were, and how adorable Aria was. This had been happening a lot when we'd been out since Spencer and I had started "dating," or whatever you want to call it. I had to admit, Aria looked a lot like Spencer, even though she wasn't biologically his.

* * *

I was snapped out of my daydream by Aria's insistent voice.

"Mommy, can we go on the ferris wheel?" she asked, pointing up at the large contraption.

I looked at Spencer, who looked slightly terrified, and I could just see him calculating the probability of it breaking down or getting stuck. I laughed and smiled down at Aria.

"I think that sounds like a great idea, Ari-Bug," I said, still laughing at the expression on Spencer's face.

Spencer was a little hesitant as we walked towards the ferris wheel. The operator helped us onto a seat, as we placed Aria between Spencer and myself.

The ferris wheel started moving, and Aria squealed with delight. She loved going on the ferris wheel every time we came to Chesapeake Beach. Spencer, however, was a different story. He was trying to look discreet as he clung to the bar for dear life. He was tense, and he knew that I knew that he was scared. But, before I could do anything, Aria took her hand in his and looked up at him.

"It's okay Spencer," she began, "I'll hold your hand like Mommy did to me when I first rode the ferris wheel. I thought it was scary, but it's actually really fun! So don't be scared Spencer!"

I thought this was seriously the cutest thing that I'd ever seen. I laughed, and Spencer and I looked at each other and smiled, as Aria's face was full of wonder and amazement. We were at the top of the ferris wheel when it stopped. This was something that I loved, being able to see everything from so high up. Aria liked it too, and Spencer was beginning to enjoy himself.

"Mommy, you should take a picture of all of us together!" Aria exclaimed.

I reluctantly pulled out my iPhone and snapped a few pics of the three of us together. When I looked at them, the sunset was right behind us and really made the pictures awesome. We finally got back down to the bottom and got off the ferris wheel, after enjoying our long ride. We made our way back to the house, after a long day, it was time to go to sleep. I put Aria to bed and joined Spencer outside on the back porch, on the porch swing. The sun was about to set, and seeing it on the horizon with the water was so gorgeous. Spencer's arm was around my shoulders and my head was resting on his shoulder. This, being here with Aria and Spencer, felt right. Like this was our family. But I couldn't tell him that. I didn't want him to feel obligated to stay with me just because of Aria. I wanted this to work out more than anything.

* * *

"I'm glad you decided to come," I said, breaking the silence.

"Me too," Spencer replied.

"I know Aria is too," I stated, "I think she's starting to like you more than me."

"I don't think that is possible," he replied, looking at me and smiling.

Spencer then leaned forward towards me. I could feel his breath, tingling my skin. His lips connected with mine,closing the inch of space between us. It was a short, sweet kiss, something that we both had been needing. When we broke apart, I smiled, knowing that this was where I wanted to be.

"So, Aria wants to go to the beach tomorrow," I told Spencer.

"The beach?" Spencer said, in a questionable tone.

"Not a fan?" I asked.

"I don't own a pair of shorts, let alone swimming trunks," Spencer admitted.

"I'm sure we can find you some," I said, a sly smile on my face.

"It's getting late," Spencer said, "We should get to bed."

"If you say so Dr. Reid," I smiled, as we both stood up, holding hands, and walked back inside.

We shared a light kiss before I went into my room and shut the door. I changed into a pair of pajama shorts and an old, ratty tank top, and got into bed. I couldn't go to sleep right away, my mind was all over the place. I kept thinking about Spencer, who was sleeping in the same house as me. I knew that Penelope would say, "Go for it!" or in Derek's words, "Get some Linds!" but I wasn't ready to go that far. I wanted to take things slow with Spencer because I wanted it to work. I didn't want to rush things and then have regrets.

Tomorrow, being at the beach with Spencer and Aria, I knew would be fun. We would probably get mistaken for a family again, which I didn't mind all too much, even though I knew that I should. Something was making me feel like we were a family, or could become one at least. I was thinking way far ahead, farther than I should be. I didn't know what would happen in the next few months, but I was anxious to see what would happen. Here I go.

* * *

**Sorry that it took me so long to update! I've been so busy with school, dance team, and some boy troubles. )Again!) Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Three of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! Sorry about the length of the chapter, I have a lot going on right now, so not much time to write. I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**Also, please check out my other fanfiction that I am currently writing. It's a Morgan/OC story called An Untraditional Love Story! Hope you like it!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, lmacwhinney, amrawo, TheMysteriousGeek2345, Attack-of-the-Blue-Penguins, MorganaMimi, and dmfrancis7 for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four

Morning came, and after a breakfast that consisted of some semi-burnt pancakes made by Spencer, we were off to shop on the boardwalk to find Spencer some swimming trunks. With some extreme reluctance, and some of Aria's famous puppy dog eyes and insisting that he had to come swimming with them, Spencer walked out of the store with his first pair of swimming trunks ever and a pair of board shorts which surprised me. We headed back to the house to get changed and head down to the beach and Aria was very excited.

Aria decided to wear her white suit with pink polka dots, and had me put her hair in pigtails. After I finished getting Aria ready, I went to pick out my own swimming suit from the few that I'd brought. After a short period of time making a decision, I put on my teal bikini and then slipped on a pair of denim shorts and an old FBI t-shirt over top. I put on a pair of flip-flops and we were ready to go. Spencer still didn't look happy, wearing the swimming trunks and a plain white t-shirt, a far cry from his usual sweater vest, but I knew he was doing this fro me and for Aria so I gave him a light kiss before we went and got Aria and made our way out to the beach.

* * *

Once we made our way to the sand, I set up a blanket on the sand while Aria shrieked and ran to the edge of the water, toting Spencer along as she held onto his hand. I sat down on the blanket and just looked at them and smiled. They had both removed their shoes and Aria was now enthralled with jumping over the small waves as they came. I took a few pictures with my phone before they came running over to me, wet sandy feet and all.

"Mommy, you have to come!" Aria insisted, "It's so fun! You have to come swimming with us!"

Now, I knew what Aria was doing wasn't really swimming, but this was an opportunity that I could not pass up. I stood up and peeled off my shorts and t-shirt, feeling rather exposed, but soon, the feeling of self-consciousness left me as Spencer took my hand and kissed it, before we followed Aria into the water.

We spent four hours at the beach. First, playing in the water, which led to a huge splash fight (Aria and I ganging up on Spencer, of course). We also made sandcastles. And along the way, took lots of pictures of everything, knowing the team would want to see pictures. After our long day at the beach, we headed home, changed, and decided to go get something to eat on the boardwalk. We walked, Aria in between Spencer and I holding one of each of our hands. Along the way, people stared and smiled, and I could hear people talking and saying how cute of a family we were.

We ate, talking all the while about all the fun we'd had in our few days here. Even though, in the back of my mind, I knew this mini-vacation would end, and Spencer and I would be back at work again soon enough. I tried not to think about it, as we continued eating and talking, the time got away from me. As I looked out at all the people walking by one the boardwalk, I noticed two familiar figures, trying to blend in with the rest of the crowd, getting eerily close to our table.

* * *

"Well, well, isn't a surprise seeing you guys here," Penelope said, pulling off her sunglasses and smiling.

"Aunt Penelope! Uncle Derek!" Aria shrieked so high pitched I'm sure it made the dogs go crazy as she ran to them and hugged them.

I quickly wondered when they had assumed the roles of aunt and uncle, but that thought was brief due the overwhelming urge to punch Derek Morgan in the face. They had deliberately come here and that kind of made me angry at them for the first time.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, a fake smile plastered on my face.

"What, we can't come to the beach on our own short vacation?" Derek asked, "Hotch gave us all three days off, and for some reason, my Baby Girl and I had the strong feeling that we needed to come to the beach."

"Oh, really?" I questioned, knowing the real reason behind their impromptu vacation.

"You know what?" Penelope said, looking at the three of us at the table, "Derek and I were just about to go see a movie. Aria, would you like to join us?"

Aria eagerly shook her head, looking towards me for final approval. So this was their plan, I thought. Take Aria and give Spencer and I some much-needed alone time. Now, I couldn't be against that. I nodded my head, and Aria shrieked with delight.

"Well, then Little A, it looks like we've got a date," Derek said, taking Aria's hand and escorting her from the table.

* * *

As the three of them began to walk away, my phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my bag. _**One new message,**_the screen read.

_**You're welcome, my little Smitten Kitten. Don't worry. We'll have Aria home by bedtime :) Have fun! ~Love, your Fairy Godmother**_

I laughed and shook my head, returning my phone to my bag. When I looked up, I was met with Spencer's confused gaze.

"They are pretty crafty," I said, as we stood up and began walking down the boardwalk, hands intertwined. The sun was due to set soon, and it lingered near the horizon.

"So, where to?" I asked, as we continued walking.

"I know exactly where we're going," Spencer said, as he led me back to the house, and onto the back porch on the porch swing, with a perfect view of the sunset on the beach.

* * *

I sat next to him, our hands still intertwined and leaned my head onto his shoulder. This perfect vacation would be over soon enough. Tomorrow, we would have to head home, back to paperwork, serial killers, and nosy co-workers.

"I know what you're thinking," Spencer said, sounding confident with a twinge of sadness in his voice.

"And what would that be Dr. Reid?" I asked, lifting up my head and turning to look at him.

"You're thinking what I'm thinking," Spencer began, "You don't want to go home tomorrow. You wish that this vacation could last forever."

"And that's why I love you," I said, not thinking before I spoke the words. Neither Spencer nor I had said that to each other yet. I, of course, had been to scared that I would jeopardize the relationship if I moved that quickly.

The silence was unbearable. I felt like it had been two hours when I finally spoke up.

"Spence, I'm sorry. That was way too forward, too soon I know. Let's just pretend like that never happened," I said hurriedly, but before I could get the last few words out, he was kissing me.

As the kiss slowly ended, he smiled and said, "Well, that's one way to stop you from rambling."

I smiled, weakly though, because I had just let my entire guard down, telling Spencer that I loved him. It was true, this past month had felt like a year, and I liked being happy again.

"You know, science has proven that the man is more likely to say I love you first in a relationship," Spencer said, "I guess we proved them wrong."

I looked at him, amazement filling my face. He loved me too? Or at least, I thought so. He still hadn't said the words.

Spencer looked me in the eyes, a serious, heartfelt look in his face, before uttering the words I never thought he would say, "Lindsey, I love you. This past month has been the happiest I've ever been."

And we sealed our love with a kiss, this one going a bit further than any other kiss had. As the kiss ended, I returned to my original position, our hands interlocked, my head on his shoulder as the sun was almost completely set now.

* * *

"You know, after everything I went through, I never thought that I could be happy again. I would've never pictured myself dating someone, breaking the corporate rules, and being in the FBI five years ago. But I wouldn't change a thing," I said, snuggling closer to Spencer.

Before we knew it, Penelope and Derek were dropping Aria off. She had fallen asleep on the drive over here, and Derek carried her inside, transferring her to me, as I tucked her into bed. I brushed a few stray hairs out of her face and gave her a kiss before heading back out to the living room, where Penelope and Derek had decided to have a movie night with Spencer and I. After Penelope found out that Spencer had never seen The Notebook, she immediately popped it into the DVD player, made some popcorn, and snuggled up next to Derek on one couch, while Spencer and I were cozy on the other.

The Notebook, it just so happens, was one of my favorite movies. The fact that someone's love could be so strong and eternal amazed me. After the movie was over, it was getting late, but Penelope insisted on seeing all the pictures that we'd taken so far, so she somehow (unbeknownst to me) she hooked up my phone to the TV and started a slide-show of all the pictures.

There was the one from the ferris wheel last night. I still remembered the worried look on Spencer's face and how Aria had tried to comfort him. All of our beach pictures were next, there being a lot of those.

* * *

After our impromptu visit with Derek and Penelope, they informed us that they had to get back to their hotel. They offered their goodbyes and said they'd see us at work. After they left, I collapsed on the couch, laughing.

"I wonder how long they've been planning their "beach vacation"?" I said, trying to stop laughing.

"Well this is a popular location for beach-goers. It being the only beach within a few hours driving of D.C. Although, there's also a few smaller," Spencer began to ramble.

I remembered what he'd said before, about me rambling, so I rolled my eyes, sighed, and kissed him, my lips brushing against his as his genius brain took a break from all the wheels turning inside it.

"And now I know how to stop you from rambling," I said with a confident smile.

We decided to call it a night, knowing we had some driving time ahead of us tomorrow if we wanted to get back at a decent hour. We shared a goodnight kiss and exchanged I love you's one more time before I entered my room and shut the door, the words still fresh and new on my tongue, although they felt so easy to say, they just rolled right out.

I lay in bed that night and thought about what had happened in my life in such a short time. I now had an amazing job, surrounded by people who had instantly welcomed me in and treated me like family. I was helping people and saving lives, which is what I'd wanted to do my whole life. I had also found someone who loved me and my daughter, a rare find these days. I could see myself spending the rest of my life with Spencer, but I want to take it one day at a time.

I don't want to lost this amazing opportunity that I've been given. I've always believed that everything happens for a reason. There's a reason that I was brought into the BAU, onto this specific team. I think fate brought Spencer and me together, just when I thought I'd be a single mom for the rest of my life. I'm not sure what;s going to happen in the next few months, but I can't wait to find out! Well, here I go.

* * *

**I know this is a much shorter chapter than you guys are used to, but I dealt with several road blocks while writing this chapter: writer's block, homework, and guy drama, and I AM SO SORRY FOR UPDATING SO LATE! From now on, I will try to update once a week**

**Sorry if this chapter isn't up to the quality that you guys are used to! Just wanted to get one posted for ya'all! Next chapter-Aria's first day of school! YAY!**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Three of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

***Also, please check out my other fanfiction that I am currently writing. It's a Morgan/OC story called An Untraditional Love Story! Hope you like it!***


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Serena R. Snape, MrCottonTail, Attack-of-the-Blue-Penguins, dmfrancis7, and Lenika08 for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five

The day had finally come. The day that I had been dreading: Aria's first day of school. Monday, September 10th had finally come. Aria had been crossing off the days on the calendar, she'd been so excited. I, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. I'd cleared it with Hotch that I would be coming in a little late, so that I could take Aria to school. Aria, not being able to sleep due to her eagerness to get to school, woke up at six am, a little too early for my liking.

She had picked out her own outfit for the day and got herself dressed in a short-sleeved green dress with white polka dots, white tights, and a pair of green Uggs. Her hair was pulled into a side ponytail with a white bow. I made french toast for breakfast, a special treat for both of us, since we're used to Pop-Tarts on the go. As we were eating our special breakfast, the doorbell rang. Unusual, especially for seven-thirty in the morning.

* * *

Opening the door, rather lazily, I was surprised to see Spencer standing on the porch, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

I gestured him in and we shared a brief kiss before I remembered my surprise from before.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, "Aren't you going to be late to work?"

"Hotch told us all that we didn't have to be in till nine today," he replied, wrapping his arms around my waist, "And I might have missed you just a little bit."

"Just a little bit?" I questioned, laughing as he placed a kiss to my forehead.

"Spencer!" Aria shouted, as she jumped out of her seat at the dining room table and ran to give him a hug.

"Who are the flowers for?" Aria asked, her five year old mind running at a million miles per second, not being able to focus.

"These are for you," Spencer said, handing them to her, "I thought you could a present for your first day of school."

"I should probably put these in some water," I said, taking them from out of Aria's hands, "Ari-Bug, why don't you go get your backpack from your room. We need to leave soon."

* * *

Aria darted up the stairs as I made my way to the kitchen and put the flowers in a vase, finishing by setting them on the dining room table.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that so desperately wanted to fall from my eyes. As I was about to break, I felt two arms wrap around my waist and heard a comforting whisper in my ear.

"She's going to be fine, you know," Spencer said, planting a gentle kiss to my temple.

"I know," I responded, taking a deep breath, "But it seems like yesterday she was just a baby and needed me for everything. Now she's so independent and I feel useless to her."

"You are an amazing mother and she's always going to need you in her life," Spencer responded.

Aria rushed into the kitchen as we finally broke apart.

"I'm ready!" she exclaimed, a huge smile on her face.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going then," I said, as Aria took my hand and started dragging me towards the door.

She stopped in her tracks then, and turned to face Spencer.

"Aren't you coming Spencer?" Aria asked impatiently, "It's my first day of school and I want you to come."

A bewildered Spencer was able to stammer an acceptance to Aria's invitation as we finally got out the door and on our way to Aria's school.

* * *

We finally arrived and Aria was so excited as we walked down the hallways. We had stopped outside and taken a few pictures in front of the school before we journeyed inside. As we reached Aria's classroom, there were no other parents in sight. I hoped that Aria wasn't nervous or embarrassed. She was the youngest one in her class and I really wanted her to make some friends.

As I was dealing with my inner turmoil, mine and Spencer's fingers intertwined, making me feel a little bit better. Just then, a pretty young woman, the teacher, saw us and walked over.

"Well, you must be Aria," she said, smiling, "My name is Mrs. Riley."

I had thought Aria would be shy, but she smiled at Mrs. Riley, a new-found confidence about her.

"These must be your parents," she said, acknowledging us.

I was about to speak up and correct her when Aria beat me to it.

"No, this is my mommy and her boyfriend Spencer. My daddy died before I was born. He watches over me in heaven," Aria said, her smile still strong and bright.

Mrs. Riley looked very embarrassed and I gave her a reassuring smile, still reeling from Aria's bluntness.

"Guess what Mrs. Riley?" Aria asked, going to stand closer to her, "My mommy and Spencer work for the FBI. They catch the bad guys."

"Really?" Mrs. Riley said, looking surprised, "Well, isn't that nice? You know what Aria, you can go ahead and put your backpack in the closet over there. And you can put your supplies at your desk. You are sitting between Bella and Cassadee."

Aria rushed to put her things away as I watched, feeling the tears start to come again.

* * *

"Now, Miss Parker," Mrs. Riley began.

"Please, call me Lindsey," I assured her.

"Lindsey, I know Aria is the youngest in the class, so I want to make sure she adjusts. But, from the looks of it, I think she will be just fine," Mrs. Riley said, gesturing towards Aria, who was now talking to the two girls she would be sitting by for the year.

"I'll let you say your goodbyes," Mrs. Riley said, "Class starts in five minutes."

Aria came running back over, still excited.

"Mommy, Bella and Cassadee liked my outfit!" she exclaimed.

"That's great Ari-Bug," I said, "Now, I have to go to work, but I should be here to pick you up unless we get a case. If we do, then Aunt Ali or Grandpa will be here, okay?

"Okay Mommy," Aria replied as she gave me a big hug, "I love you."

"I love you too," I said, shedding a few tears.

Then, of course, Aria had to give Spencer a big hug and, surprisingly, a kiss on the cheek. She waved before taking her seat at her desk.

Spencer and I walked out of the school hand in hand, and I felt like if I could only shed a few tears when dropping my daughter off at her first day of school, then I could do anything. Here I go.

* * *

**I know this is a much shorter chapter than you guys are used to, but I sprained my wrist and got tendonitis, which prevented me from typing :( Still not fully healed, but I'm typing through the pain just for you guys!**

**Well, I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Five of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**Also, please check out my other fanfiction that I am currently writing. It's a Morgan/OC story called An Untraditional Love Story! Hope you like it!**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Attack-of-the-Blue-Penguins, dmfrancis7, CelticCrossings, Lenika08, TheMysteriousGeek2345, lmacwhinney, and howimetyourcriminalmind for their amazing reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 26

**October**

The past month had been one of the craziest since I joined the BAU. We had eight cases in four weeks. I got very used to being on the plane and staying in hotels. All of them were bad ones. This job never seemed to get easier.

We had just gotten back from a rough case. The tortured and disfigured bodies of women were turning up on the Oregon Coast. They had been beaten and burned. After a week of no leads, the UNSUB finally made a mistake. He left some DNA on one of the bodies; a nineteen year old marine biology major at Linfield College named Nicole Casey. The UNSUB turned out to be a local handyman named Tyrell Hubert, a twenty-five year old high school dropout and a psychopath. It was hard, as I took down the photos of the women from the evidence board. They were all young and beautiful, with so much to live for, and he had taken that away from them.

Upon arriving back at Quantico, we were loaded up with paperwork and it was a Friday night. All of us had had plans to go out, including Spencer and I. We had been planning to spend a night out without Aria, something we hadn't done in a while. We were going to go to a small café in DC to an Edgar Allen Poe poetry reading, which I had been anticipating.

I walked over to his desk and leaned against it.

"So I guess the poetry reading is out then," I said, gesturing to the mountains of paperwork on both of our desks.

"Yeah, based on my calculations, it is going to take us about five hours, twenty-three minutes, and fifty-six seconds to finish all of it," Spencer replied.

"You and your statistics are so cute," I said quietly, making sure the rest of the team, Hotch in particular, weren't listening, "At least you can read twenty-thousand words a minute. It's going to take me ages to fill all this out."

I smiled before reluctantly returning to my desk and continuing to fill out the reports. I worked for several minutes before I could sense a new presence in the bullpen. I looked up to find a wide-eyed, studious looking man in his early twenties, an FBI intern.

* * *

"Is there something I can help you with?" I asked, standing and crossing over to him, as he just stood muttering to himself.

"I'm looking for the BAU," he was able to stammer, "My name is Benjamin Lafferty and I'm interning for the semester. I work for the director."

"Well, you've found us," I replied, gesturing to the rest of the team behind me, who had all taken interest when they heard the word director.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to the members of the BAU," Benjamin said, holding out envelopes with beautiful calligraphy writing on them.

Just as I took them out of his hand, he dashed out, making me and the rest of the team laugh.

"Well, looks like there's one here for all of us," I said, handing out the envelopes, "Don't open them yet, I'll go get Hotch and Rossi and we can all open them together."

"I'll go get Garcia," Derek said, taking her envelope from my hand as well.

Once I had rounded up Hotch and Rossi, I returned to the bullpen, to find everyone anxiously anticipating the opening of the mysterious envelopes.

"Why would the Director of the FBI give each of us anything?" JJ said, "It's not like we see the guy except at the yearly banquet."

After everyone looked at each other, we all opened the envelopes, and everyone agreed to let me read the contents aloud.

"_Dear Agent Parker, you are cordially invited to a dinner in honor of the BAU's hard work and success this past year at the home of Robert S. Mueller, III, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This event will be held Saturday, October 13__th_ _at eight o'clock in the evening. Black tie optional,_" I read, as the whole team gasped in amazement.

"Has this ever happened before?" I questioned, me being the newbie.

"I don't think anything like this has ever happened before," Hotch answered, just as stunned as the rest of us.

"Wait," I cut in, noticing a small detail that I had missed, "There's something here at the bottom that I didn't read: The paperwork can wait till Monday."

* * *

Gloriously celebrating, Spencer and I did attend our poetry reading. We had a great time and we made plans for him to pick me up tomorrow night for the dinner. After a longer-then-usual goodnight kiss, I crept inside, relieving my dad from babysitting. I hadn't gotten the chance to sit and visit with him in a while. My mom's health wasn't failing, but it wasn't getting better either. The chemo and radiation were basically prolonging her life for a short time. I sat next to him on the couch, my head on his shoulder.

"How's Mom doing?" I asked, already knowing what he would say.

"She's doing okay," he replied, "She misses you and Aria."

"I know," I said, "We need to go and see her. I've just been so busy with work; I haven't had time for much else."

"You seem to have time for Spencer," my dad said poignantly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I replied with a hint of anger in my voice as I sat up and looked at him.

"I know you really care about him," my dad stated, "And don't get me wrong, I think he's a great guy, but you have other responsibilities and commitments to your family. Shouldn't they come first?"

"That's not fair," I said defensively, "You know how much I love you and mom and Aria and Ali. I'm with you guys as much as I can be. And haven't you noticed that I'm happy again? For the first time in five years, I have someone who makes me happy. Isn't that what you want for me?"

"Of course it is," my dad replied, tears welling in his eyes as well as mine, "I know how happy he makes you and he's a good man. I just don't want you to miss out on making memories with your mom. The doctors told us today that the cancer has spread. They've given her a month."

I broke down, for the first time in a long time, I was sobbing uncontrollably. This was something that had come as a shock to me. Of course, I'd thought about the possibility of it before, but I'd put at the back of my mind, thinking that it would just go away like it had the last time.

I don't know how long I was crying in my dad's arms before I finally pulled myself together.

"I'm going to take some time off," I said, "My boss will understand. I want to spend as much time as I can with her."

"She won't like the idea of you giving up your life to be with her," my dad replied, "She'd want you to keep living it, like nothing was wrong."

"But this situation is different," I insisted, "This job has me travelling unexpectedly, all the time. I don't want to be in another state when she goes."

"I'll talk to Hotch about it tomorrow night at the dinner with the director," I stated, "My leave will start Monday. Tell Mom to be expecting me to come visit her."

* * *

Saturday night came and I was finishing getting ready for the dinner with the director. I was wearing a salmon lace cocktail dress that I had bought a few years ago, but never worn. Ali had taken Aria for a sleepover with her cousins that night, so I was all alone in the house. I left my hair down in loose curls and just as I finished applying my makeup, the doorbell rang.

I hurried downstairs and opened the door, finding Spencer on my doorstep, looking much different from his normal work clothes, wearing a dark blue button down shirt and dress pants.

"You look beautiful," Spencer said as he leaned in and we shared a brief kiss.

I had decided not to tell him about my mom yet. After I talked with Hotch and got my leave cleared, then I would tell him. It just didn't seem like the right time to tell him that my mom was dying and that I wasn't sure if I could do this job anymore. With all of the travel and in light of what my dad had said about commitments and responsibilities to family, I felt like I wanted to be a better mom to her, and the logical way that I had thought of to do that was to have a stable nine-five job.

* * *

We arrived at the director's home, after a car ride full of small talk, mostly facts and statistics from Spencer. He and his family lived on a gorgeous estate in Virginia, just outside of DC. We were met at the door by Mueller's wife Ann, who was a generous hostess and led us into the home's bar, where the rest of the team was socializing and drinking. I graciously accepted a glass of red wine, and we all talked for a bit before Ann announced that dinner was ready. We entered the gorgeous and large dining room and took our seats. Dinner consisted of Maple Glazed Salmon with Quick Skillet Asparagus and Jasmine Rice, all prepared by Ann Mueller herself.

_"I'd just like to thank you all for coming," the Director said as he raised his glass in a toast, "I'm very grateful to have such an amazing team working for the FBI. You are truly remarkable. To the BAU!"_

_"To the BAU!" we all replied, as we all took a sip of our drinks._

_"So Agent Hotchner," the Director began, "How is your son? Jack, I believe his name was."_

_"Yes sir," Hotch replied, "Jack is doing great. He just turned seven and he's playing soccer right now."_

_"Ah yes," Director Mueller started, "My daughter Elizabeth was a soccer player as well. She loved it. And Agent Jareau, how is your son?"_

_"Henry is doing great Director," JJ said, "He started kindergarten this year and I think he might turn into a soccer player too thanks to Jack."_

_"And Agent Parker, I here you have a child as well," Director Mueller stated, "How is she?"_

_"Yes sir," I answered, "I have a five year old daughter named Aria. She just started first grade."_

_"First grade?" the Director said, sounding surprised, "Must be a very smart girl."_

_"She is," I replied, "Thank you sir."_

_"And Dr. Reid, how is your mother doing?" the Director asked, "Still at Bennington?"_

_"Yes sir, she is," Spencer responded, "She's doing well. She teaches a _15th Century Literature class for the other patients."

The rest of the dinner went smoothly. Director Mueller was, surprisingly, very easygoing. I thought it was very nice that he wanted to know about our families and how they were doing. We didn't talk too much about the cases, as that was not proper talk over dinner, but he was amazed at how fast we could create a profile based on such little evidence and information.

* * *

Once dinner was over, Spencer began talking to Ann about their shared love of poet Thomas Merton, and I saw my chance to talk to Hotch. I pulled him aside as the rest of the team kept mingling.

"Hotch, I need some personal time," I told him, trying not to cry.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, now looking concerned.

"No," I said shaking my head, "My mom, uh, we just found out that she only has a month left to live."

That was when the tears started to fall, but I quickly wiped my eyes and got ahold of myself.

"Take all the time you need," Hotch said comfortingly, "If you need anything, you know we're all here for you."

I nodded and thanked him before walking over to Spencer who had just finished his conversation with Mrs. Mueller. The tears were still a little bit there and, when he saw me, concern immediately was present on his face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, taking my hand.

"Can we just go please?" I replied, wanting to get out of here before anyone else asked me that same question.

We arrived back at my house after little to no conversation in the car. After getting inside and sitting on the couch, I finally broke down again, in the same place I had yesterday after talking with my dad. Thankfully, being the amazing, supportive boyfriend that he is, Spencer just held me in his arms, which was all I needed at the time. When I was finally able to get my emotions in check I was finally able to tell him.

"I talked to my dad yesterday after the poetry reading," I began, "The doctors told him that my mom only has about a month to live. She's dying Spencer."

After what seemed like forever in silence, he finally spoke, "I know this is hard for you. I just want you to know that I'll be here for you every step of the way."

"I'm taking some time off," I replied, taking a deep breath, "I can't let my dad be the only one with her all the time. Hotch approved a month of paid leave. He just has to send the paperwork to Strauss."

"I'm sure your mom will love seeing you," Spencer said calmly.

"And I know my dad won't let me be with mom all the time, so I'll get to spend some more time with Aria too," I said, trying to sound like I was confident.

Spencer's phone rang, and he answered it, talking in a low voice. He sounded quite annoyed.

"What is it?" I asked, concern now present in my voice.

"A case," Spencer replied, "A really bad one."

"Where?" I questioned.

"Shreveport, Louisiana," Spencer answered, "A person has been murdered every night for the past week."

"Well, you'd better go then," I said, trying to force a smile on my face.

He gave me a kiss on the cheek before heading for the door.

"I'll call you when we land," he said as he left.

I took another deep breath. This break would be good for me, especially since I'd been thinking about taking the offer I'd recently had placed before me. I'd been offered a job as head of a small White Collar Crime Unit in Maryland. It would give a stable work schedule, and with me being in charge, I'd be able to take Aria to and from school, which I knew she would like. There was little to no traveling, which would definitely make things easier. I was seriously considering it, but I hadn't told anyone about it yet, not even Spencer. Maybe this break would give me some time to seriously think. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Six of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey **


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Lenika08, howimetyourcriminalmind, TheMysteriousGeek2345, freezingpizza14, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, BurnedSpy, dmfrancis7, and princessprose for their amazing reviews!**

***WARNING: Heavy, deep, emotional chapter up ahead!***

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Over the next four weeks, I spent half my time at the hospital with my mom and the other half with Aria. Only when my dad forced me out of the hospital did I go home at night. On a good note, I now knew all of the nurses' names in the cancer wing. My house, on the other hand, looked like a college student's dorm room. Take-out containers strewn everywhere, various clothing items all over the house, and dishes piling up in the sink. It felt like a foreign place after only spending the night there a handful of times out of the entire four weeks.

I had been so focused on my mom and Aria that Spencer had relatively drifted to the back of my thoughts. We talked on the phone a number of times during the month that passed and he had come and visited my mom right after I told him her diagnosis, but the team had been called on a record number of cases in my absence. Hence, why he'd drifted to the back of my thoughts. I had been so scatterbrained that when Halloween came, I realized I hadn't gotten Aria a costume. When I frantically asked her about it, her answer made me the proudest mom in the world.

"Don't worry Mom," she said, "It's okay. I can just got trick-or-treating next year. And you can just buy me some candy later. I want to visit Grandma tonight."

Tears came to my eyes as I enveloped her in a tight hug, thinking about how lucky I really was. So off to the hospital we went. When we got there, one of the nurses, Cameron, gave Aria a high five, while another gave her a warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. They had been so nice and accommodating during my mom's stay. We walked into the room, which now looked like an art gallery thanks to Aria's new-found love of crayons. The walls were covered in colorful pictures of animals and flowers and rainbows. Aria had told my mom that it was too boring and sad in her room, so she changed it.

"Hey mom," I said, leaning down and kissing the top of her head, "How are you feeling?"

I sat down in the chair next to her bed as she took my hand, "I've had better days. You know, Spencer hasn't visited in a while. Where is that strapping young man of yours?"

I let a small smile grace my lips before answering, "The team's had a lot of cases. He's been really busy. I'm sure he'll visit when they get back."

And then, as if on cue, I heard Cameron's voice in the doorway.

"Found a straggler Katherine," he said, "Does he belong to you?"

I turned around, surprised and yet, delighted, to see Spencer in the doorway, looking rather embarrassed.

"He belongs to my daughter Cameron, but thank you," my mom stammered somewhat weakly, "Spencer dear, come sit down.

Spencer took the seat on the other side of my mom, still looking rather mortified.

* * *

"What took you so long to visit?" my mom said feebly, "It's been almost four weeks since you came to see me. I was getting rather worried."

"We had a lot of cases Mrs. James," Spencer replied, looking like he didn't know what else to say.

"Didn't I tell you to call me Katherine," my mother said weakly, turning and slightly glaring at Spencer, "And why did Cameron bring you in?"

"I didn't know that you'd been moved into another room," Spencer explained, "So I went to your old room and the woman in that room was..."

"Was what?" I asked, now quite intrigued.

"Receiving a sponge bath," Spencer stammered, his face now bright red with embarrassment.

That had all of us laughing, even though Aria didn't quite understand, she laughed anyway. It was the first time I'd seen my mom smile in a long time.

But, all too soon, the happiness was cut short. My mom started coughing and she couldn't stop. My dad and I stayed with her while Spencer took Aria to the cafeteria. The doctors came in and after listening to her lungs, they determined that she had pneumonia. Because the chemo and radiation made her immune system very weak, she had been very susceptible, too susceptible I guess. After giving her some antibiotics, the doctor took my dad and I out into the hallway.

"I don't believe we've met," the doctor said to me, "I'm Dr. Reggar. You must be Lindsey."

He shook my hand I nodded in reply to his assumption, my mouth not being able to form words.

"Katherine's cancer has spread to her lungs," Dr. Regger explained, "That's how the pneumonia developed. Unfortunately, it's extremely far gone. We'll do our best to keep her comfortable, but you should begin saying your goodbyes. It could be any time now."

On my way to the cafeteria to find Aria and Spencer, I passed the small hospital chapel, and found myself walking in and sitting down in one of the pews. I let it all come out, as I cried and talked out loud. I just kept asking God why he would do this to our family. I wanted to know why he would take away another person from my life. I just kept crying and praying, until the tears wouldn't come anymore. I pulled myself together, for Aria's sake, and made my way down to the cafeteria.

Spencer and Aria were having more cookies and were dunking them in a tall glass of milk when I walked up. I knew that Spencer could tell that I had been crying, but he didn't say anything. I took a seat at the table, and before we went back up to my mom's room, I knew that I had to tell Aria in a way that a five year old could understand.

* * *

"Hey Ari-Bug, you know that Grandma's sick right?" I introduced the subject.

"Yeah, but the doctors are going to make her better, aren't they Mommy?" she said, putting her cookie down and looking at me, her big brown eyes full of concern.

"That's the thing sweetie," I said gently, "You know how Daddy is in heaven and he's watching over us? Well, Grandma is going to go live with Daddy and God in heaven too."

"She's going to be an angel?" Aria questioned, not fully understanding just yet.

"Yeah, she's going to go be our guardian angel," I said, tears coming to my eyes, "And that means that we're not going to get to see her for a long time. But we can look at the pictures and watch our home movies like we do when we want to remember Daddy.

"Okay Mommy," Aria said, giving me a big hug, "Don't be sad. We're going to see her again, just like we're going to see Daddy again."

We went back to my mom's room where my dad and Ali and her family were now saying their own emotional goodbyes. Ali's daughters Emma and Mackenzie were, like Aria, a bit too young to understand the whole thing, so after they said their goodbyes, Kyle escorted them out. Aria went and sat in the chair next to my mom, who took Aria's hand and smiled.

"You know, Ari, you'll always be my shining star," she said, "I love you so much."

"I love you too Grandma," Aria said, and gave her a hug before getting down from the chair.

"Spencer, I want to have a word with you too," my mom insisted.

Spencer took the seat previously taken by Aria as my mom began to talk to him.

"You know, if you end up hurting my little girl, I will personally see that your life is miserable," my mom said, "Even from beyond the grave. Do you understand?"

Spencer gulped and nodded.

"Good," my mom replied, "Besides that, I'm very glad that I'm leaving Lindsey and Aria in such capable hands. Take care of them Spencer."

"I will Katherine," Spencer replied.

Once he stood up, he came and stood next to me and Aria.

"Spence, do you mind taking Aria home and staying with her tonight?" I asked, knowing it might be a bit too much to ask, "I need to be here tonight."

"Of course," Spencer said, pressing a kiss to my forehead, "Anything I can do to help."

* * *

That was a roller coaster night for me. My mom sat and talked with me and my dad and Ali for hours about things that had happened twenty years ago. Her mind seemed so crystal clear and she was so happy talking about the memories from our childhood. She apologized for not being around as much as she'd wanted to. She told me not to let my job get in the way of raising Aria and being there for her. That made my decision about leaving the BAU even harder.

My mom passed away peacefully at 12:01 AM on November 1st. It was really hard for me but I knew, after the hard struggle she'd been going through, she was in a better place.

The funeral was held on the 5th, and thankfully the team didn't have a case. Actually, Strauss put the whole BAU team on mandatory stand-down so that she and all the members of the team could attend. When I was told that, I cried harder than I already had been. It was a short, simple service, which was the way my mom would've wanted it. Afterward, we hosted a small get-together at my parents' house for friends and family. The team came and Spencer stayed by my side the whole time. I knew that he was obviously concerned about my distant behavior, and I still wasn't sure if I was going to take the job offer at White Collar Crime. I knew, for the first time, that I was in love with him, but that scared me.

I started to feel claustrophobic, so I went into the backyard and sat on the porch. Spencer soon joined me and I knew that I had to talk to him.

"Spencer, there's something I need to tell you," I said, "Maryland offered me a job heading up a small White Collar Crime Unit."

"When?" Spencer said, barely audible. I could tell he was upset.

"About a month ago," I replied.

"And when were you going to tell me?" Spencer snapped.

"I hadn't made a decision yet," I said, now hurt, "I still haven't."

"So what were you planning on doing?" Spencer asked, "Leaving the BAU and sending me a postcard?"

"I thought you would understand," I stated, "I need to do what's best for my family."

"And I guess I was crazy to think that I might actually be a part of that family," Spencer sneered.

"I can't do this right now," I said, standing up and heading for the door. I turned around before I left, needing to say one last thing to him.

"You know, I really thought that you were different," I said quietly, "That you'd understand. I guess I was wrong."

* * *

I talked to a few more people inside quickly, before getting Aria and heading back home. My phone rang throughout the night, but I didn't answer. I knew it would be Spencer, but I wasn't ready to talk to him. I spent the night thinking and praying. I didn't know what to do about the job. I loved working at the BAU. I loved the feeling of a family between the team. I loved each and every person on the team. But, with working so much and traveling, I was missing out on raising Aria. The new job would give me the stability I so desperately pined for, but it wouldn't be the same.

I haphazardly looked through the pictures on my phone, smiling myself when I saw the smiling faces of Spencer, Aria, and me. I knew that I wanted Spencer to be a part of our life, but after tonight, I wasn't so sure anymore. I had never seen him lash out like this before, and it had frightened me.

After a long night with really no sleep, I got dressed in the morning, dropped Aria off at school, and headed to work. I had my decision, and I was ready to tell Strauss and Hotch the conclusion that I'd come to.

I was going to stay at the BAU. Here I go.

* * *

**Sorry for the long stretch between chapters. I've been super busy with school. Hopefully my updates can become more regular soon!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Seven of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also have a new fanfiction that I have been writing. It is a Derek Morgan/OC romance with cases as well. It is called An Untraditional Love Story. Please check it out and review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, Lenika08, BurnedSpy, ArtisticAngel6, Mariamoonshine, It's Lauren Elizabeth,princessprose, and dmfrancis7 for their amazing reviews!**

**So don't hate me, but I used the Thomas Merton quote from the Reid/Maeve thing here. But, in my world, Maeve never existed, so I thought this quote would be perfect for Lindsey and Spencer! Hope you like it!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Driving to the BAU to tell Hotch and Strauss my decision, I was really nervous. I hadn't talked to Spencer since our fight, and I was dreading seeing him again. After I parked and got out of my car, I self-consciously smoothed out my beige wrap dress and reluctantly made my way to the BAU. After I got off the elevator and entered the bullpen, everyone's eyes were on me, but the only one's I noticed were Spencer's. I kept my eyes down as I went into Hotch's office. Both Hotch and Strauss were already inside.

"It's nice to see you back Agent Parker," Chief Strauss , crossing her arms in front of her, "I expect you've made a decision regarding your employment?"

"Yes ma'am I have," I replied, taking a deep breath, "If it's alright with the both of you, I'd like to stay."

"We would love to have you here, Agent Parker," Strauss said, "We just want to make sure that you're making the best decision for you and your family."

"This is where I need to be," I said confidently, "I know it."

"Then welcome back," Chief Strauss said, standing and shaking my hand, "I trust you won't have an easy return. It seems you have a case. But, nevertheless, good luck."

"Thank you ma'am," I said sincerely, "For everything."

I followed a slightly stoic Hotch into the round-table room and took my usual seat, keeping my eyes trained on the case file in front of me as the rest of the team entered the room.

* * *

"Well, first off, I think Lindsey deserves a round of welcome-back applause," Penelope said cheerfully, and I managed to force a smile as everyone clapped.

"Now, back to business," Penelope said, "Authorities in Denver, Colorado need our help. Women are going missing and then being found dead, dumped in alleys and dumpsters. The victims' ages range from twenty-three to twenty-nine. All the victims were married with young children. Three women have already been found dead and another is missing."

"If he's throwing them into dumpsters and leaving them in alleys, he obviously is trying to say that they're worthless and in his eyes, garbage," Derek stated.

"Let's talk about the victims," Garcia said, pressing a button on her remote, bringing up a photo of a smiling brunette wearing work out clothes, "This is our first victim, Amy Franklin age twenty-three, a local yoga instructor. She went to a local nightclub, Club Neon, with some of her girlfriends for a ladies' night out. She left the group to go get her cell phone from her car around midnight and that was the last time anyone saw her. Four days later, she was found behind a dumpster. She had been sexually assaulted and shot once in the back of the head."

"Our next victim is Tessa McCallister, age twenty-five, a librarian," Garcia said, as a photo of a woman with brown hair and green eyes appeared on the screen, "She also went to Club Neon with some of her friends for a ladies night. She was last seen around one A.M. Her friends said that the last time they saw her was when she was walking to her car. She was found four days later inside a dumpster behind a local mini-mart. She had also been sexually assaulted and shot once in the back of the head."

"The next victim is Jennifer Dayley, a twenty-seven year old legal secretary," Garcia said, as a photo of a smiling blonde-haired, blue eyed woman came on the screen, "She was with friends at a bar called The Bulldog and was last seen by her car around midnight. Four days later, she was was found in an alley behind a strip club. She had, once again, been sexually assaulted and shot once in the back of the head."

"And now, Scarlett Mahuiki, a twenty-nine year old personal trainer, has been missing for two days. She went to The Bulldog for drinks with some coworkers and was last seen around one A.M. when the rest of the group was leaving," Garcia finished, as the photo of a smiling Hawaiian woman appeared on the screen.

"So all of these women are mothers and wives?" I asked, flipping through the files.

"Yes," Garcia answered, "Amy Franklin had been married for two years and has a six month old son named Seth. Tessa McCallister had been married for six years and has a four year old son named Nathan. Jennifer Dayley had been married for five years and has a five year old daughter named Annabelle. And finally, Scarlett Mahuiki has been married for six years and has two children: a four year old son named Koa and a two year old daughter named Keilani."

"The UNSUB is holding them for a long period of time, yet there aren't any typical signs of torture, besides the sexual assault," Rossi said, "And the gunshot wound to the back of the head and the kidnappings, that shows that the UNSUB is organized and efficient."

"If he stays to his normal routine and pace, we've only got forty-eight hours to find Scarlett Mahuiki," Hotch said, "Wheels up in ten."

* * *

The team left the round-table room and I went to my desk, avoiding Spencer at all costs. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he walked a very long circle so he wouldn't pass my desk. This was noticed by JJ, who looked over at him, and then at me, before sitting down and giving me that "all-knowing mom" look.

"What's going on with you and Spence?" she asked, "It's like you guys are walking on eggshells around each other."

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head, "We kind of got in a fight after the funeral."

"What happened?" JJ asked, now obviously concerned.

"He was mad because I didn't tell him about the job offer I got in Maryland to head up a White Collar Crime Unit. I got the offer right when my mom got sick, and I wasn't really thinking about it until now," I explained, "I know that I should have told him, but..."

"You guys need to talk about it," JJ sympathized, "If you want this relationship to work, and I know you do, we all do, communication is key. This is probably just a misunderstanding."

"I can't do it now," I said, gathering the files and my go bag, "The plane's about to leave and I need to focus on the case."

"Don't put it off for too long Lindsey," JJ said, "He's not going to wait around forever."

We all boarded the plane, and, out of habit, I took my usual seat, without even thinking about the Spencer situation. I became immediately engrossed in my cell phone when Spencer took the seat across from me. Knowing that I couldn't say anything without the rest of the team hearing, I texted him.

_Spence, I'd say this out loud, but the whole team would be listening. I'm sorry about what happened. I know now isn't the right time, but I really think we should talk about it after this case. I don't want to fight with you._

Hesitantly, I pushed the send button and settled in with one of the case files and began browsing over it, looking over the top of the file occasionally, to see Spencer. I heard his phone vibrate and he picked it up, opening the new message. I cautiously watched him read it, and when he had finished, his eyes met mine.

* * *

We arrived in Denver, heading to the police station right away. The station was abuzz with people everywhere, running around like chickens with their heads cut off. One of the officers showed us into a conference room, where a large board was set up with crime scene photos and a map of abduction and dump sites.

Just as we were getting settled in, a good-looking young man came in, a stack of files in his hands.

"You must be BAU," the man said, "I'm Detective Yarborough, the lead on this case."

We did our introductions and shook hands. Detective Yarborough took a particularly long time as he got to me, lingering our handshake for a bit too long as he stared into my eyes and smiled. When he finally let go, I looked over at Spencer, who looked like he was going to blow a gasket. I shook it off like nothing had happened, even though, as Detective Yarborough was answering Hotch and Rossi's questions, he kept looking at me and smiling.

"So the latest victim has been missing for how long?" Rossi asked, looking through the file in his hand.

"Two days," Detective Yarborough said, flashing a dazzling white smile in my direction, "Her husband is expecting you. And the friends' statements are all here for you to read. Maybe you'll find something that we've missed."

"Lindsey, you, Reid, and Detective Yarborough can stay here and go through the statements. Also, start working up a geographical profile. Rossi and I will go talk to Mr. Mahuiki. JJ, you and Morgan can go speak to the other two families," Hotch ordered, and everyone got up and left to start their assigned tasks.

I sat down and started reading over the statements from the first victim, Amy Franklin. As I read, I felt eyes on me. I looked up from the file in my hand to find Detective Yarborough, once again, staring at me, flashing that dazzling smile of his.

"Can I help you Detective?" I asked carelessly as I continued reading the statements.

"Just wanted to see if you were done with those statements yet," he replied confidently.

I looked over hesitantly at Spencer, who, with a clenched jaw, was starting to put together a geographical profile. The statements he had been reading already tossed aside. I knew he had probably read all of them in the time it took me to read the first few.

* * *

I stood up to grab another file from the box that was sitting on the other side of the table, careful to make a wide arc around Detective Yarborough. I lifted the lid and somehow, the box fell on the floor, papers scattering everywhere. Before I knew it, both Spencer and Detective Yarborough were on the floor, each trying to pick up more papers than the other.

For some reason, I was beginning to think that Spencer was jealous of Detective Yarborough. Yes, he was overtly flirting with me, but it wasn't like I was reciprocating anything. I could never hurt Spencer like that. Despite what had happened, I still loved him and wanted to be with him more than anything. I couldn't imagine what would have happened if I'd taken the job in Maryland. Sure, it definitely would have made my life easier, but something told me that I shouldn't take it, that it wasn't the right time to leave the BAU.

Before too long, the rest of the team had returned, and I had found something in the statements that tied all the kidnappings together.

"Hotch, I don't how Denver PD missed this, but in each of the friends' statements, a man had been talking at the bar with each of the women who went missing. The friends said that he asked the women if they had children and then asked to see pictures of them," I said, "One of the women saw the picture that he showed the women. Two little girls, both with blonde hair and blue eyes. They were young. The woman said they looked to be about three and one."

"How exactly did you miss that Detective?" Hotch asked sternly.

"I'm sorry Agent Hotchner," Detective Yarborough apologized, "I guess with all of the cases going on around here, it must have slipped through the cracks."

"Well, it's late everyone," Hotch announced, "I think it would do us all some good if we headed to the hotel and got a good night's sleep. We'll get some fresh eyes on the case in the morning."

* * *

We went back to the hotel and I couldn't sleep. I found myself on the roof of the hotel, something that was becoming a regular occurrence to me. I felt stupid when I realized that I didn't bring a coat. It was November in Colorado, and I was sitting on the roof of a hotel in sweats and a long sleeve shirt. I shivered as I looked over the valley. Something about it was so peaceful and pure. I had my hands on the ledge, leaning against it. A gust of cold wind made me shiver as I stood in the crisp air. The opening of the access door startled me, but when I saw that it was Spencer, I wasn't surprised.

"What are you doing out here?" Spencer questioned as he walked over towards me, "It's freezing."

"I couldn't sleep," I said, still not able to fully face him as I shivered again.

"Here," Spencer said, slipping off his winter coat and helping me put it on.

"Thank you," I said, not knowing what else I could say.

There was what seemed like an eternity of silence before we both ended up saying the same thing at the exact same time.

"I'm sorry," we both said in unison.

This made me able to finally face him, tears stinging my eyes.

"No," Spencer said, shaking his head, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I overreacted. I yelled at you at your mom's funeral and for that I will never forgive myself."

I nervously took Spencer's hand, our fingers intertwining just like normal.

"Don't," I said, not knowing what to say next.

A deep warmth spread through my body as our lips gently touched for the first time in too long. All the aches and pains of heartache broken and dissolved by this tender moment. Spencer responded immediately, his hands moving to my waist. His hair was soft and silky and I could feel each of his muscles move. That was how close we were. The whole city itself seemed to be still, with no traffic or bright lights to interrupt us. We stayed pressed up against each other for what seemed like hours, that is, until we both needed air.

"Thomas Merton," I said, smiling as we broke apart and his hand found mine again.

"What?" Spencer questioned, looking confused.

"Love is our true destiny," I said, looking at him intently, "We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone. We find it with another."

"I love you too," Spencer said, no hesitation in his voice at all as we shared another deep kiss.

"Looks like you beat Yarborough to the punch," I smiled, a giggle escaping from me.

"I do not like that guy," Spencer responded.

"Really?" I said sarcastically, "I never noticed."

"Lindsey," Spencer said, no sounding slightly nervous, "I...Well what I mean is...I don't want you to think is stupid or anything..."

"Spence, what is it?" I said, now being the confused one.

Spencer pulled something from his pocket, something small, and I saw it glimmer when it connected with the light-post on the roof. I gasped.

"I don't want this to be cheesy," Spencer said, "But after everything we've been through, I don't want to let some caveman like Yarborough take you away from me. So I got you this ring, as a symbol of my promise to never let you get away again."

He slipped the ring onto my left ring finger and I finally got the chance to admire it. It was simple: a small diamond heart on a silver band. On the band, engraved, were our names. Spencer's on the left side and mine on the right.

* * *

As I re-entered my hotel room, still wearing Spencer's coat, I tried to be quiet and tiptoe back to my bed. But, alas, JJ, also being a mother, had great hearing.

"So Linds," she said, sitting up in bed, "Where have you been? It's almost one A.M."

"I was just on the roof, getting some fresh air," I said, nonchalantly slipping off Spencer's coat and draping it on the chair.

"What is that on your finger?" JJ exclaimed, bolting out of bed and yanking on my hand.

"It's not what you think it is," I said with a smile, "It's a promise ring."

"Oh my gosh, " JJ said sweetly, "That is adorable. I'm glad you guys aren't fighting anymore."

"Thank you JJ," I said sincerely, "For everything you've done. I don't know what I would do without a friend like you."

"The women of the BAU have to stick together," JJ told me as we shared a brief hug, "Now get some sleep, we have a case to solve, and I don't think this one's going to be easy."

I slipped into bed and pulled out my phone, looking at the pictures Spencer and I had taken on the roof. It had just started to snow and you could see the flurries in the background. In one, we were smiling at the camera. In another,we were smiling at each other. In the final picture, we were sharing a kiss.

I felt like I was in high school again, with these feelings I was having. Spencer and I loved each other, that was now evident to everyone. I didn't know what was going to happen in the future, but whatever it was, I knew I wanted Spencer to be a part of it. Here I go.

* * *

**Sorry for the long stretch between chapters. I've been super busy with school and prom. Hopefully my updates can become more regular soon!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Eight of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, Lenika08, Bookloverz22, xErikax, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, and dmfrancis7 for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The next morning we were all woken up very early by a call from the Chief of Police in Denver. A body had been found in a dumpster outside a gas station that matched Scarlett Mahuiki's description. We all headed out, dreading what we may find. The weather had me wearing gloves, so no one could see the ring just yet. When we arrived at the scene, the snow crunched under our feet as we made our way under the crime scene tape. A crowd had already gathered, and uniformed officers were keeping the civilians and reporters at bay. Once I got one look at the body, I knew it was in fact Scarlett Mahuiki. As we all looked at each other, sadness in our eyes, a disturbance from one area of the crowd sent our eyes in that direction.

"Let me through!" Mr. Mahuiki yelled as he pushed against the police officers, "Is it her? Is it my wife?"

We all looked at each other, and without thinking about it, I stood up and walked over towards them.

"I'm sorry ma'am," the young rookie police officer said, "You're not supposed to be on this side of the tape."

"I don't think anyone will mind," I replied, showing him my badge, "Mr. Mahuiki, my name is Agent Lindsey Parker."

"Just tell me," he said, tears already in his eyes.

"I'm very sorry," I said, barely able to speak.

"No," he responded, once again working to try and get across the tape.

"Let him through Officer," I suggested, and the rookie followed my orders.

"Mr. Mahuiki," I began, "I have to advise you not to touch your wife's body. The killer might have left some sort of evidence. Once an autopsy is performed, the body will be released to your custody."

He meekly nodded and followed me towards the dumpster. Once his wife's body was in his view, he broke down and I didn't blame him. Once we were finally able to console him, the coroner came and took the body. We were able to have an officer take Mr. Mahuiki home, and we all headed back to the police station, only to be met by more bad news.

* * *

Detective Yarborough met us right as we walked in.

"We've got a problem," he said, gesturing towards a man seated in a chair at a desk. The man looked nervous and anxious, "That is Matthew Bridger. His fiance Hope Edgewood didn't come home last night. She fits the victimology perfectly."

The picture was the first thing that struck me as I opened the meager file that Detective Yarborough had been able to create while we'd been at the crime scene. Hope Edgewood was beautiful. She had long blonde hair and big blue eyes. The photo also showed her two year old daughter Ella, who was a mini-me of her mother. Hotch asked me to sit in on the interview with the fiance, so, reluctantly, I walked into the conference room, where Matthew and Hotch were already seated.

"So what does Hope do for a living?" Hotch asked, looking through the file.

"She's a waitress at The Bulldog. She works crazy hours," Matthew said, wringing his hands, "She was going to quit. We just found out that she's pregnant."

"How long have you known?" I asked, feeling very sympathetic.

"She's twelve weeks along," Matthew said, "I met her a year and a half ago. I can't believe this is happening."

"Wait," I said, now confused, "You're not Ella's biological father?"

"No," Matthew responded, "I started dating Hope when Ella was six months old. Her father wasn't in the picture. Hope told me that when she told him she was pregnant, he didn't want anything to do with her or the baby. I'm the only father Ella's ever known."

"We're going to do our best to find her Matthew," I assured him, "I can promise you that."

We asked a few more questions before Matthew left and we went back to work to try to figure out how to approach this new situation.

* * *

"If we give her picture to the press, we run the risk of him spooking and killing her before we have the chance to find them," JJ propositioned.

"He's getting greedy," I stated, "He's shortening his time-line and he doesn't kill until he has a new woman. Maybe we should set him up?"

"Lindsey's right," Rossi said, "We can plant an agent at The Bulldog, someone who fits the victimology, and have the whole place filled with other agents. We can observe the behavior and find him."

"Let's give the profile," Hotch said, as we all got up and went out to brief the other officers.

"The man we're looking for is an adult male, between the ages of 30 and 40," Hotch began.

"He has an obvious hatred towards women, which is obvious from the torture he puts his victims through," Derek added.

"We believe this hatred is stemmed from a woman in his life who has betrayed him in some way. His mother, wife, girlfriend, sister," I inserted.

"This man should be considered extremely dangerous and will more than likely be armed," Rossi said, "Thank you."

"So, tonight should be the night," Hotch said, looking at me and JJ, "Now Lindsey, what we're going to need you to do is.."

"Wait, I'm going undercover?" I questioned, surprised that the newbie would be chosen for an operation like this, "Shouldn't JJ do it? I mean, she has way more experience than me."

"No offense," Detective Yarborough interjected, "But Agent Jareau seems too old to fit the victimology. I think a gorgeous, leggy brunette would work better in this situation."

"Despite some inapproriate wording," Hotch said, glaring at Detective Yarborough, "He's right. Lindsey, we need you on this. JJ can help you get ready and she'll be with you at the bar, posing as your friend. We'll all be there, so nothing bad will happen."

JJ and I left to get ready, and first things first was lunch, followed by shopping. We had to find something, in JJ's words, "sexy" so that the UNSUB would notice me. We found the dress at a boutique in a Denver mall, and after receiving Penelope's approval, bought it, along with some killer stilettos. The dress was red and fit tightly to the middle of my thighs, shorter than anything I would usually wear. It hugged my curves and had a very deep v neckline, which made me feel slightly uncomfortable. We went back to the hotel, where JJ straightened my hair, making it look even longer, and did my makeup.

Once the whole "makeover" was done, it was late afternoon and we had to get back to the station so I could get all of the training with the equipment that I would be using. I looked in the mirror before I left though, noticing how different I really looked. The promise ring still on my finger, I hadn't wanted to take it off. My gun strapped to my inner thigh, out of sight to the average eye.

We made it back to the station, and when I walked in, everyone's eyes were on me, especially Detective Yarborough. His mouth was wide open as I walked towards the conference room and the rest of my team. My heart was pounding and I was really nervous. If something was to go wrong...I didn't even want to think about that. I shook that idea out of my head as I walked into the conference room, now gaining the stares from the eyes of my family.

"Alright Lindsey," Hotch said as he pulled up several different video feeds on the tv screen in the conference room, "We've wired the whole bar with cameras. Nothing will go unseen. All of us will be in there and we'll have some plain-clothed officers inside as well."

"I'm ready," I replied, "I can do this."

"Okay," Hotch said, pulling out a small box, "Here's your earpiece and tracking devices. Penelope had the tracking devices installed in these earrings."

The earrings were beautiful diamond flowers. The center of the flower, I could tell, was the part with the tracking device, but, unless someone was trained to notice inconspicuous details, they wouldn't.

The time came. It was ten o'clock and time for us to start infiltrating The Bulldog. JJ and I went in first, seating ourselves at the bar. The bartender, who was also an undercover agent from another BAU team, knew to not serve us actual alcohol, but to make it look like we were drinking heavily. Hotch, Rossi, Spencer, and Derek situated themselves at a pool table, although Spencer was keeping a particular eye on me. I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened just before we all came to The Bulldog, while we were still at the precinct.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Everyone had, conveniently, let Spencer and I be the last ones to leave the precinct, leaving us alone in the conference room._

"_Are you okay with me doing this?" I asked, as we sat on the small couch in the corner of the room, our hands intertwined and my head on his shoulder._

"_It's what you have to do," Spencer replied, stroking my hand with his thumb, "I know that you'll be fine, but the thought of anything happening to you makes me sick."_

"_I'm going to be fine," I said, lifting my head up and looking at him, "And we're going to catch this guy and go home, together."_

"_They haven't noticed yet," Spencer stated, toying with the ring on my finger._

"_Well, JJ has," I admitted, looking at him sheepishly, "She saw it last night."_

"_Well, I guess we can just let the rest of the team find out on their own too," Spencer said with a smile, "You know, you do look beautiful, but you'd look just as beautiful in a t-shirt and sweats."_

"_I don't know," I said sarcastically, "I think Detective Yarborough has taken a liking to this outfit."_

_Spencer and I both laughed before sharing several log, deep kisses. Reluctantly, we had to leave. Duty called._

_End Flashback_

* * *

JJ and I sat at the bar, sipping our "drinks" and laughing and talking. We talked about funny things that Aria and Henry had been doing, trying to talk loudly about our kids. I had a picture of Aria ready to go on my phone in case the UNSUB showed up. All of the sudden, Hotch's voice appeared in my ear.

"Lindsey, JJ, we've identified the UNSUB from DNA he left on Scarlett Mahuiki's body. His name is Hugh Folson and he's at the table in the corner. He's been watching you and JJ. Proceed with caution," Hotch advised.

JJ and I both casually lifted up our drinks and glanced towards the corner. An attractive man with brown hair and brown eyes was glaring towards us. I felt like he was looking into my soul. He began to stand up and walk towards us. I looked at JJ and she nodded, sharing a hug with me before she left. Hugh then came and stood right next to me.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, not waiting for my answer before sitting down.

"No, be my guest," I said, flashing a smile and taking a sip of my drink with my left hand, making the ring on my finger totally obvious, "I'm Lindsey."

"I'm Hugh. Do you come here often?" he asked, flashing back a creepy smile.

"No actually," I replied, "This is my first time here. My friend had to leave. Her son was sick, so I'm here alone now."

"I came to get out of the house too," Folson answered, "It's hard being a single parent."

"Oh, how many kids do you have?" I asked, sounding fully concerned and interested.

"I have two little girls," he responded, "Stella is three and Zoey is one."

He pulled out a picture and handed it to me. Two little blonde haired girls smiled up at me, and I noticed the similarities between them and Hope and her daughter.

"What about you?" he questioned as he quickly took the photo back from me, "Do you have kids?"

"Yeah," I said, pulling out my phone and showing him the picture of Aria, "I have a five year old daughter named Aria."

"She's adorable," he replied, "You and your husband must be very proud."

"I'm not married," I responded, putting my phone back into my clutch.

"Oh, I just assumed because of your daughter and your ring," Hugh said, pointing towards my hand.

"My husband, Aria's father, passed away before she was born," I explained, "The ring is a promise ring from my boyfriend. We've been together for three months."

"Congratulations," Hugh replied, "We have to drink to that. Bartender, can we get two shots please?"

The bartender gave me a knowing glance and turned around to prepare the drinks, and as Hugh continued talking to me, in my peripheral vision, I could see the bartender pouring water into my glass, before putting the shot-glasses before us.

"Cheers," Hugh said, as we clinked our glasses together and took the shots.

He set down some money before standing up.

"Well, I'm going to use the men's room," Hugh said, "It was nice talking to you Lindsey."

"Hotch, I really have to go to the bathroom after drinking all this water," I said into my earpiece, "I'll be right back,"

* * *

Before he could answer, I was up and almost to the bathroom hallway when something cold and hard pressed into my back. Hugh's voice spoke as I realized the object pushing into my back was a gun.

"You're going to walk outside," he sneered, "You're not going to scream or I'll kill you right now. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head as he walked me out into the back parking lot. Detective Yarborough was supposed to be on guard out here, but he was nowhere to be found. I was forced into the back seat of an older model four-door sedan and the earpiece fell out of my ear. Before either Hugh or I could realize it, I heard the sickening crunch, and my one way of communicating with my team was gone, crushed by Hugh's foot. Hugh blindfolded me before getting into the car himself, and we drove for a little ways before I heard the sound of a garage door opening and the engine turn off.

"Play nice," Hugh said, as he took off my blindfold led me into the house and into a room upstairs. The room was dark, and since I was thrown in, I landed on the ground with a loud thud. Only then did I realize that I was not alone in the room. Hope was huddled in the corner, Stella and Zoey curled in her arms. They had all been crying.

"Hi," I said, crawling towards them, "My name is Lindsey Parker and I'm with the FBI."

I pulled out my credentials, which had also been strapped to my leg, and showed them to Hope. A relieved look came on her face.

"These earrings are tracking devices," I explained, "My team knows where we are, and they're coming. We just have to stay calm."

* * *

Even though I couldn't keep track of the time, it seemed like forever had passed before Hugh busted open the door. I could hear faint sirens in the distance, knowing my team was almost here.

"Girls, it's time for Hope to leave now," Hugh explained, walking over to where the three of them were huddled.

"No daddy!" Stella exclaimed, "We like Hope. We want her to be our mommy."

"Well, she doesn't want to be your mommy," Hugh snapped back, "She has her own daughter who she's never going to see again."

He took one more step towards them, and that's when I made my move. I pulled the gun from where it was strapped to my leg and put my finger on the trigger.

"Hugh Folson," I began, "Freeze. FBI."

Once again, my credentials were out and Hugh was shocked.

"You're a fed?" he screamed, the sirens now right outside, "You lied to me!"

"Hugh, everything I told you was true," I stated, "I have a daughter and a boyfriend. Hope has a daughter and a fiance and she's pregnant. Think about what your girls. You don't need to do this in front of them."

"I shouldn't even be here," Hugh said, sitting down against a wall, pulling his own gun out and toying with it, "I'm a terrible father."

"Hugh, your daughters need you in their life," I pleaded.

"Their mother left me, you know," Hugh began to ramble, "Left me for a man ten years younger. She's already pregnant with his baby."

"Hugh, don't think about her," I insisted, "Think about Stella and Zoey. They don't need to see this. Let them leave."

He meekly nodded, and I helped Hope up, her small baby bump visible. She hurried out the door with the girls and down the stairs.

"Hugh," I said, as he pointed the gun at his own head, "Don't do this. Your girls are right downstairs."

"They don't need me," he said, as Spencer, Derek, Hotch, and Rossi moved into the room.

"Hugh, don't!" I exclaimed, but before I could do anything, a shot rang out, and Hugh Folson fell to the floor. Hotch went over and checked his pulse, nodding that he was gone, and I flew into Spencer's arms. He held me tight and I let the tears come, knowing that it was a sign of weakness, but not caring in this moment.

* * *

"Matthew is coming," Spencer said, as we broke apart and our hands found each other.

We made our way downstairs, where Hope was sitting outside in the back of an ambulance, Stella and Zoey not leaving her side. They were cleaning up a cut on her forehead and her hand was rubbing her slightly protruding abdomen.

"Hope, are you alright?" I asked, moving towards her and the girls.

"I'm fine," she replied, a weak smile on her face, "They want to take me to the hospital to do an emergency ultrasound to make sure that the baby's okay, but everything looks fine from what they were able to tell."

"Good," I responded, as a woman walked up to all of us.

"My name is Vivienne Walker from Social Services," she said, "I'm here to collect the Folson girls."

We all looked over at Hope. Zoey clung to her, sucking her thumb and lightly crying. Stella sat next to her, her little arms wrapped tight around Hope's arm.

"Girls," Hope said, making sure they were listening, "This is Miss Vivienne and you're going to go with her for a while."

"Is she going to take us away?" Stella asked, still looking nervous.

"You girls are going to go somewhere very nice with people who will love you, I promise," Hope said, placing a kiss to each of their foreheads.

Vivienne reached out and wretched Zoey from Hope's grasp. She'd decided that she didn't want to leave Hope and began crying. Stella reluctantly took Vivienne's hand and they got into a car and drove away. A few minutes later, another car pulled up, and I knew that it was Matthew. He got out of the car and went around to the back, pulling out a very sleepy, adorable little girl. Once he saw Hope, he ran over, and Spencer and I got out of the way of the family reunion. They were both crying and Ella had woken up enough to know that she was with both her mom and dad again.

It seemed like a very short plane ride, and I got a text from Ali saying that Aria had wanted to have a sleepover, so she'd taken her off my hands for the night. Once the plane landed, Spencer gave me a ride home and walked me to the door. Once he did, immediately we were kissing. Something deeper and more passionate than ever before. I opened the door and looked at him, before he gave me a small smile and followed me inside and upstairs.

Thankfully, because of our late, or should I say early, arrival home, we had the next day off. As I laid in bed, the man I love sleeping soundly next to me, I couldn't help but think of how far we'd come. And I couldn't wait to see what else was in store. Here I go.

* * *

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Twenty-Nine of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank KeyLimePie28, xEricax, 36MaryRose36, Lenika08, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, It's Lauren Elizabeth, and Kay-zzee for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

Chapter Thirty

_**Late November...**_

* * *

Once things calmed down the next week, the team finally noticed the ring on my finger. Penelope almost had a heart attack, thinking that it was an engagement ring. After the explaining, she was only a little upset, and she, as well as the rest of the team, offered their congratulations to the both of us.

But all too soon, my phone rang early in the morning and Garcia told me that I was needed in the office ASAP. Quickly getting myself and Aria dressed, I dropped her off at Ali's before heading off to work. Once I arrived at the office, everyone was already in the round-table room.

"Alright everyone," Penelope announced, "This one, like all of our cases, is pretty twisted."

She pressed a button on her remote and the face of a smiling teenage girl with long, dark brown hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen.

"This is sixteen year old Rebecca Dryant from Chandler, Arizona. She was babysitting one night for her neighbors who had two children ages four and two," Penelope said, as the rest of us perused the file, "When the parents got home, the front door was broken down and there was blood in the living room. When they went to check on the kids, they were fast asleep and completely unharmed. Rebecca's parents reported her missing, but no leads ever came. Her remains were found twenty miles from her home in San Tan Mountain Regional Park a year later by some hikers. The M.E.'s report said that there were signs of severe abuse as well as torture. He also said that she had given birth before her death."

"When was she abducted?" Derek asked.

"Five years ago," Penelope answered, "And it doesn't get any better."

She pressed another button on her remote, and a picture of a young girl with light brown hair and blue eyes appeared on the screen.

"This is eighteen year old Ava Willes from Sierra Vista, Arizona," Penelope explained, "She was also babysitting the night she was abducted. The child was only a year old and when the parents got home, the baby was screaming. Again, the child had not been harmed and there was blood and signs of a struggle in the living room. She was reported missing and her remains were found eighty-nine miles from her home a year later by some campers in the wilderness of Chiricahua National Monument in Elfrida, Arizona. Again, the medical examiner concluded that she had given birth before her death."

"He's sticking to the same M.O.," Rossi concluded, "And the same timeline."

"The next victim is eighteen year old Mirren Silver from Coolidge, Arizona," Penelope said, bringing up a photo of a young Latin American woman with dark hair and dark eyes, "She was babysitting for her niece and nephew who were six and five at the time. Once again, when the parents, her aunt and uncle, arrived home, they found blood on the living room floor and signs of a struggle. She was reported missing, and a year later, her remains were found in Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park by some hikers. Once again, the medical examiner discovered that she had given birth before her demise."

"And we're not done yet, my crew of crime-fighters," Penelope explained, "Next is Grace Sheffield."

Penelope pressed a button on her remote and a photo of a smiling blonde haired, blue eyed teenager appeared on the screen.

"This is Grace Sheffield. She is eighteen years old and from Maricopa, Arizona," Penelope introduced, "She was babysitting four children all under the age of four when she was abducted. The parents came home and found the disarray of their living room and blood on the floor. The children were perfectly fine, but the three year old twin girls wouldn't stop crying. Grace was reported missing and a year later, her remains were found in Sonoran Desert National Monument. Again, there was evidence that she had given birth before her death."

"So the UNSUB keeps them for a year, gets them pregnant, and then, after the baby is born, they kill them?" JJ said questioningly.

"From what we can see here, I believe that this UNSUB is focused on having children," Hotch stated, "They might not be able to have their own for some reason."

"And why the teenage girls?" Derek asked.

"Easier targets maybe?" Rossi answered, "These girls are alone and vulnerable at night."

"And now we have Faye Griffin," Penelope said, "She is seventeen years old and from Pearce, Arizona. She was babysitting a two year old boy when she was abducted. The parents came home and, once again, found their living room in disarray and blood on the furniture and carpet. The boy was asleep and perfectly fine, not even a scratch. She was reported missing and a year later, her remains were found in Kartchner Caverns State Park by some cave explorers. The ME determined that she had given birth before her death. Her remains were found four months ago."

"Which means it's only a matter of time before another girl is kidnapped," Hotch said, "Wheels up in thirty."

"Not just yet Hotch," Penelope interrupted, as we all turned our heads in her direction, "Four months ago, seventeen year old Kamry Stedde from Green Valley, Arizona was reported missing. Same MO, same circumstances surrounding her abduction."

* * *

We all got settled on the jet, flipping through the case files intently. Every once and a while I would look up from the folder and find Spencer looking at me. I would shyly smile and return to the case file, knowing that everyone was watching us and seeing me blush. He still had a way of making me feel like a teenage girl.

We arrived in Phoenix and headed to the state police department, who had created a joint-task force between all the small towns that the victims were residents of. After arriving at the police station, we were met by the lead investigator on the cases, Detective Grant Leonard.

"I'm sorry agents," he apologized, gesturing towards the conference room, "They wouldn't leave once they heard the FBI was coming in."

We all walked into the conference room and I was surprised at the sight we found.

Six sets of parents were seated around the table, all noticeably frazzled. Each mother held a framed picture of their daughter.

"Where is Kamry?" Mrs. Stedde asked, getting up out of her seat, shaking, "Where is she?"

"Mrs. Stedde," Hotch interrupted, "Everyone. The BAU has just arrived and we do plan on finding out who is responsible for this. But for now, we would appreciate it if you could answer our questions and be civil about all of this."

After speaking to all the parents, we basically got the same thing. All of the girls were good students, had a lot of friends, and babysat all the time. The night of their abductions was also not the first time they had babysat for the respective families. After the families had left, we started going over the physical evidence that had been at each crime scene. I went through the evidence from the first crime scene. Rebecca Dryant's blood had been identified on the floor of the living room, but there was another blood type present, from what I could see, that didn't belong to anyone who lived in the house.

"Hotch, we need to run this blood sample and match the DNA," I explained, "I can't believe they missed this. This could solve the case."

We sent in the blood for analysis, but it would take a few hours for it to get done, so we kept on digging, with the help of Penelope, for anything that could help. She had begun to search through their social networking profiles, for any match between the five girls. We got one.

"What do you have Garcia?" I asked when she called me.

"I have some good news and some bad news," Garcia replied, as I put her on speaker with everyone in the conference room, "The bad news is I found a lot of mutual friends on Facebook between the girls, but the good news is, only one of them is a female."

"And that makes sense because..." Derek questioned.

"I'm sorry sir, but I might have hacked into the forensic lab's database to find out the results faster. The blood belonged to a female and her name is Elona Belov," Penelope said, waiting to be scolded.

"Nice work Penelope," Hotch said, "What do you know about her?"

"She is twenty years old and lives in Tucson," Penelope began, "She lives with her two sisters Tatyana, age twenty-four, and Viktoriya, age thirty-two."

"Those names don't sound American Garcia," JJ said questioningly.

"And that is why I love you profilers," Penelope said sweetly, "The three Belov sisters immigrated to the United States ten years ago from Moscow, Russia. After the death of their parents, Viktoriya was granted legal guardianship of her two sisters."

"What do they do for a living Sweet Cheeks?" Derek asked.

"Let's see Handsome," Penelope said, as we could hear her furiously typing away, "Elona works at a sperm bank in Tucson, has been for four years, Tatyana is a Registered Nurse but is currently unemployed, and lastly, Viktoriya owns and runs an adoption agency in Tucson."

"Wait a minute," Rossi interjected, "The medical examiner concluded that each of the girls had given birth before her death. Could the UNSUB be selling these babies to couples who want a baby?"

"Garcia, does this agency have a website?" Hotch asked.

"Yes they do sir," Garcia replied, typing away furiously again, "The agency is called Russian Hope Adoption Agency. They find adoptive families for Russian orphans. They specialize in and mainly focus on placing newborns. It says that the sisters run the American office, while the parents run the main organization in Moscow."

"But the parents were killed in a car accident ten years ago," Rossi retorted, "Garcia, is there a death certificate listed for them?"

"Yes," Penelope replied, typing again, "Andrei and Vasilisa Belov were killed in a car accident ten years ago. They died on impact."

"Wait, Garcia, didn't you say Elona Belov worked at a sperm bank?" JJ questioned.

"Yes, oh blonde goddess," Penelope replied, "You are correct."

"That must be how they are getting these girls pregnant," JJ stated, "Garcia, check and see if there have been any thefts from there in the last ten years."

"JJ, you are a blonde genius," Garcia replied after a few minutes of typing, "There have been thefts of sperm in small amounts once a year coinciding with the kidnappings."

* * *

"This could be a larger operation than we think," Hotch sighed, "Garcia, check and see if any similar kidnappings and murders have occurred in surrounding states."

"On it bossman," Garcia answered before hanging up.

"We need to go pay these sisters a visit," Hotch explained.

"But Hotch," Derek interrupted, "We can't let them know we're on to them. If we do, Kamry won't have a chance."

"Lindsey, Reid," Hotch singled us out, "Congratulations. You're adopting! We need to get people on the inside to see how this operation works. Are you two okay with that?"

Before we could really answer, we were briefed and miked, as well as given earpiece microphones and camera glasses so that the team would be able to hear and see everything that was going on. We didn't have much time to think, or prepare, or get ready before we were on our way to Tucson, driving with the rest of the team in the SUVs.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked Spencer, intertwining our fingers as Derek drove us to Tucson.

"I guess we don't really have a choice," Spencer laughed.

We were there soon enough, and Hotch and the rest of the team set up in a surveillance van outside the agency, which was located in the business district of Tucson. We both took a deep breath, before walking in. We had called ahead and made an appointment with Viktoriya Belov herself for a consultation. Walking into the agency, there was a large map of Russia, along with pictures of happy, smiling babies. We checked in with the receptionist and were told to take a seat and wait. We didn't wait for long, because Tatyana Belov came out and led us into an office, where we sat and waited for about ten minutes before Viktoriya entered the room.

"Sorry to keep you folks waiting," she said, with a hint of a Russian accent, "My name is Viktoriya Belov. It's very nice to meet you both."

"Well I'm Lindsey and this is my husband Spencer," I introduced us, as Spencer still gripped my hand, something I was grateful for.

"So, why are you here today?" Viktoriya asked, folding her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"We would like to adopt a child, and we heard great things about your agency," Spencer replied.

"I guess we should just start with some basic questions then," Viktoriya began, "Do you have any other children?"

"We have a five year old daughter named Aria," I answered, "But I'm not able to have any more children."

"You've come to the right place then," Viktoriya said with a smile, opening up a folder, "We have a few babies available."

She passed over the folder, showing us some photos.

"Do you have a gender preference?" Viktoriya asked, looking slighlty frazzled.

"Aria really wants a little sister," I said, looking at Spencer with a smile.

"I think I have the perfect little girl for you," Viktoriya said, taking the folder back and pulling out a photo, sliding it across the desk to us.

The photo showed a baby girl, probably seven or eight months old, smiling. She had brown hair and brown eyes, and looked so much like Aria and Spencer and myself. She looked like she could be our daughter.

"She's beautiful," I raved, "Honey, I think this is our daughter. What's her name?"

"Lexie," Viktoriya said, "Lexie Grace."

"We're ready to move forward," Spencer said, "When can we meet her?"

"We're going to need you to fill out some paperwork," Viktoriya began, "But we can set up a meeting with her foster parents tomorrow. She is our only child located here in the United States, actually here in Tucson."

We made a follow-up appointment with Viktoriya before leaving and getting back into our SUV and driving to a park where we were going to meet Hotch and the others.

* * *

"Hotch, that little girl..." I began before he cut me off.

"Lindsey, we have to think about Kamry right now," he said authoritatively, "Garcia has found similar disappearances in New Mexico and California. All within the last ten years. From our calculations, there's about fifteen-twenty girls who have been used by these sisters."

"Well, we have DNA evidence connecting Elona Belov to a murder scene," I stated, "That's enough for an arrest and a conviction."

"If we arrest her, they might dispose of Kamry and the babies that are here in the US," JJ replied, "We can't take that chance."

"We have to find out where they're holding Kamry," Rossi insisted, "Garcia found that they own several properties out in the desert. Secluded places perfect for hiding Kamry and the babies. They also own two residential homes in a suburb just outside of Tucson."

"Tomorrow morning is the appointment we have to meet Lexie," I explained, "It's at, what she said, was her foster home. I think it might be one of those residential homes."

"Well, you two need to go to that meeting," Hotch instructed, "We'll go to those properties in the desert and find Kamry. For now, we'll head back to the hotel and start fresh in the morning."

The next morning came too quickly, and Spencer and I headed to the address that Viktoriya had given us, which was a white cottage-style house in a suburb. We knocked on the door, and Elona Belov answered the door.

"Hello," she said, gesturing us to come inside, "I'm Elona and you already know Viktoriya."

We greeted both of the women and sat down on the couch while Elona went to get Lexie. She came back a few minutes later, holding a smiley baby girl. She handed her to me and I instantly fell in love. She was gurgling and waving her arms. But, to my surprise, she reached out for Spencer, who quickly stood her up in his lap and she smiled even more.

Viktoriya's cell phone rang just then, and because the person on the other line was yelling, we could hear the words "FBI, hurry, and ambush."

"I'm very sorry but we're going to have to cut this meeting short," Viktoriya said, reaching for the baby, who Spencer quickly handed to me, "Something has come up at the office."

"I don't think that's going to work for us Viktoriya," Spencer said as he drew his weapon, "Spencer Reid and Lindsey Parker, FBI."

Viktoriya and Elona's eyes widened and Elona started to flee on foot. I quickly set Lexie down in the playpen in the living room and followed her, leaving Spencer to handle Viktoriya. I found Elona in the bedroom, trying to climb out a window. I pointed my gun at her and told her to freeze.

"Please," she begged, "It wasn't my fault. Viktoriya, she forced Tatyana and I to go along with this. She threatened to kill us if we ever told."

She allowed me to handcuff her and I called the local authorites, and once I had, I heard a single gunshot in the living room and the cries of Lexie.

* * *

I hurried with Elona, only to find Viktoriya Belov on the ground, a bullet in her chest. Spencer was also on the ground, a bloody knife on the floor next to him. Elona ran to her sister and began crying. I quickly kicked the knife out of the way and hurried to Spencer, just as the police and an ambulance arrived.

"Spencer, are you okay?" I said, trying to apply pressure to the wound and calm down Lexie by talking to her, while the police escorted Elona out.

"I'm fine," he replied, breathing heavily, "I love you."

"I love you too," I replied, giving him a quick kiss before paramedics placed him on a stretcher.

I grabbed Lexie and a full diaper bag that I'd found in the home, and accompanied Spencer in the ambulance. After some stitches, since the wounds hadn't been very deep, he was released, and we headed to meet the rest of the team in the desert.

Upon arriving at the first location, we found Derek and Rossi, caring for the other babies that had been left out here. The other property was only a short walk away, and that's where we found Hotch and JJ, along with Kamry Stedde, who was sporting a small baby bump. She was fine, and was shortly reunited with her parents.

After taking Lexie to the hospital and doing some DNA tests, we found out that she was the daughter of a runaway girl named Anastasia Bruco, whose parents had died in a car accident years earlier, meaning Lexie had no other family.

* * *

"What's going to happen to her Hotch?" I asked quietly, as Lexie slept in my arms after being given a clean bill of health.

"She'll probably be put into foster care until someone adopts her," Hotch said, smiling as he looked down at her, stroking her small hand.

"Hotch," I began.

"I think it's a great idea," Hotch answered before I even got to ask him.

"What's a great idea?" I replied, confused.

"You and Reid being her foster parents," Hotch said, "Weren't you already planning on moving in together anyway?"

We hadn't really talked about it in public, but after this case, Spencer was going to move in with Aria and I, since my place was so much bigger than his. We had talked about marriage in the near-future and were head-over-heels for each other.

Spencer walked in then, and Hotch stepped out and left, giving me a knowing glance. Spencer sat down next to me, smiling at Lexie.

"Spence, this might sound crazy," I started, "But what if we were Lexie's foster parents?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Spencer said with a shy smile, "But I wasn't sure how you would feel about it."

"We're going to be a family," I said, giving him a kiss, before looking down at the beautiful baby in my arms who was still asleep and smiling. She had already made such an impact on Spencer and me.

* * *

_Babies smile in their sleep because they're listening to the whispering of angels._

* * *

**Please let me know what you think of this semi-important plot twist. I decided to go this way instead of another way, I hope you guys like what I've done!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Thirty of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Not-Knowing-Is-Everything, It's Lauren Elizabeth, Hope'sFace, Lenika08, 36MaryRose36, Ilana Lunus, Guest, and xErikax for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

Chapter Thirty-One

_What it's like to be a parent: It's one of the hardest things you'll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love." __― Nicholas Sparks, The Wedding_

* * *

_**December**_

Lexie had only been living with us for a few weeks, but she was already such a big part of our family. Once we got home from the Arizona case, I went into Aria's room, while Spencer waited downstairs with Lexie.

_**Flashback**_

"_Mommy!" she cried, running and giving me a hug, "You're home!"_

"_I missed you Ari-Bug," I said, squeezing her tight, wondering how she was going to react._

"_I missed you too Mommy," Aria said, "But I'm glad you're home. Where's Spencer?"_

"_He's downstairs," I replied, "Ari-Bug, do you remember when you said that you wanted a little sister?"_

"_Are you going to have a baby?" Aria exclaimed._

"_Not exactly," I tried to explain, "When Mommy and Spencer were working, a baby girl lost her mommy and daddy, so she's going to stay with us for a while. What do you think about that?"_

"_So I'm going to have a little sister?" Aria questioned, "What's her name?"_

"_Yes you are," I smiled, glad that she was excited, "Her name is Lexie. Do you want to meet her?"_

_After Aria's vigorous nodding and excitement, I went downstairs and Spencer and I brought Lexi to meet Aria. Once we walked into Aria's room, Lexie started squealing and giggling. Aria started talking to her and it made me feel more confident about our decision to be Lexie's foster parents._

_**End Flashback**_

* * *

It was now time to head to Philadelphia for our visit with Katie and Makenna and the support group. Aria and Lexie would be making the journey with us, and I was nervous about how both girls would behave on the plane. Surprisingly, they were both relatively quiet. Aria spent the whole flight with her nose buried in books and Lexie fell asleep in Spencer's lap.

After Spencer and I had started dating, JJ and Garcia had told me about something they called "The Reid Effect," where dogs and kids, for some reason, don't like Spencer. Now, however, it seemed like the complete opposite. Most of the time, Lexie preferred Spencer to me. Since she started living with us, she blossomed from the shy, quiet baby that we'd met at the Belov house in Tucson, to a happy, giggly little girl who finally had a family.

We made it to our hotel by early evening and had already planned on going to Katie's house for dinner. After getting cleaned up and changed, we made the short drive to the suburbs, where Katie lived.

Katie was definitely surprised to see that we had Lexie, but, after explaining everything over dinner, she reacted the same way everyone had to Lexie: with joy. Bringing Lexie into our family had really brought Spence and I closer together. We were talking about getting married, something I wouldn't have normally thought about after dating a guy for only months, but Spencer was different. I knew that I wanted to be with him forever and I wasn't going to let him get away from me now.

After being in Philadelphia for a few days, tonight was the night. Katie and I both got dressed, nervous as we always were before the seminar. Spencer was going to come, and since Lexie didn't know Katie's mom like Aria did, we were going to bring her with us. She still had a hard time with new people, which was understandable given the situation that she'd been in in Arizona.

* * *

When we arrived at the Bellario Hotel, whose ballroom would be the location of tonight's event, I really started to get nervous. Spencer took my hand and squeezed it, reassuring me with a sweet kiss. Lexie squawked in his arms as we entered the ballroom, and I about did the same thing. There were more people there than ever before. All of the seats were filled, which really surprised. When asked how many chairs to set up, we told the event planner that we were only expecting thirty or forty people. Thank goodness she didn't listen to us. Over a hundred people sat in the ballroom, eagerly awaiting the beginning of the support group. Spencer and Lexie took a seat in the front as I got up to start the event.

"Good evening everyone," I said, smiling, "I would like to thank you all for coming. This is the most people we've ever had attend and we're so thankful that you were all able to make it here safely."

There was some light applause before I took a deep breath and continued.

"Tonight, we're going to ask each of you to share your story with us," I began, "But I can't ask you to do something that I wouldn't do. So let me tell you my story."

A slideshow began of pictures of Ben and me, Aria, and our life together that I'd put together earlier in the month.

"I met my husband while attending college here in Philadelphia. We got married and shortly afterwards, found out that we were expecting," I began to explain, "When I was four months pregnant, I was having a late-night craving, so Ben went to the grocery store. He never came home. From what they could gather from witnesses, detectives told me that Ben entered the store and quickly noticed a man who looked upset and troubled. Ben was always the one who would help others, so he asked the man if he could help him in anyway. The man shot my husband and then himself. In a matter of hours, I became a widow at twenty-two. My husband was murdered."

I stepped back and let Katie take the microphone. She described her and Joseph's young romance, which led to them getting married very young. She was four months pregnant when Joseph lost his job. He didn't come home one night, and later, Katie found out that he'd committed suicide, which left her alone to raise a baby by herself.

I then joined Katie at the microphone, ready to reveal to the crowd the whole truth.

"What we haven't told you is that my husband Ben was murdered by Katie's husband Joseph five years ago," I said, which made gasps and shock erupt from the crowd.

"Before you ask how I could possibly be best friends with the wife of my husband's killer, and jump to conclusions, please let me explain," I continued, "It was so hard for me to go through my pregnancy alone. I moved to Maryland to live with my parents. I was so angry at God for taking Ben away from me. A year later, when Aria was about three months old, I suddenly realized, after much prayer, that Katie was in the same boat that I was. I had never even thought about that. She too was raising a baby by herself, so that day, I wrote her a letter, which led to her writing me a letter back. Soon, we were texting and talking on the phone, sharing our daughters' progress."

"Lindsey and I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason," Katie explained, "God took our husbands so that we could meet and begin this journey to help others."

"Now," I sighed, looking down at Spencer and Lexie, who had fallen asleep in Spencer's arms, "I am the happiest woman in the world. I have an incredible job working with the FBI, my daughter Aria is five years old and in the first grade, and I am in a committed relationship with the most amazing man on the face of the earth, who just so happens to be sitting right up front with our foster daughter Lexie."

Everyone looked at Spencer, and he turned about a million shades of red, while still smiling shyly.

"I, too, am so happy with where I am in life," Katie said, "I am currently working on getting my Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology. My daughter Makenna is five years old and is in kindergarten. I am not currently seeing anyone but I'm hopeful that I will find someone who fits into the family I've already created."

We spent the rest of the night hearing the participants' stories of how murder, or suicide, or both affected their lives. Many tears were shed and progress was made. It was eleven o'clock at night by the time we finished and Lexie was passed out in Spencer's arms. We picked up Aria from Katie's house and then headed back to our hotel. We put Aria and Lexie to bed, and then sat in the living room that was separate from the bedroom.

* * *

We both sat on the couch and I snuggled up next to Spencer, my head resting on his shoulder, our fingers intertwined.

"I had fun tonight," Spencer said, "Hearing you be able to help all of those people, it was incredible."

"Katie thinks that we should write a book," I laughed.

"I think that is a great idea," Spencer replied, "Hey, you could even get some writing tips from Rossi."

"Oh, I wanted to show you something," I said, tiptoeing in and grabbing a book from my suitcase, handing it to Spencer.

"It's a scrapbook that Aria helped me make," I said, as he opened it and saw all of the pictures that we'd taken together.

"I still can't believe that it's only been five months," Spencer said, bringing my hand to his lips and kissing it, "I love you so much and I love the family that we're creating."

"I love you too," I said, as we shared a kiss that literally took my breath away.

Once we broke apart, Spencer fingered the promise ring that adorned my left ring finger.

"You know, pretty soon, there will be a different ring on that finger," Spencer said, smiling at me as we shared another kiss.

* * *

All too soon, our Philadelphia vacation was over and we headed home to D.C., where we spent our first Christmas together. It was an amazing day. Aria woke us up at five in the morning, and after much convincing and bribing, we were able to get her to go back to sleep until seven. Our first holiday with Spencer and Lexie, we made it as special as we could. Later in the day, we went to Rossi's and spent the rest of the day and the night with team.

The day after Christmas, we boarded another plane. This time, to Las Vegas. I was so nervous to meet Spencer's mom. I knew that he wrote about me in his letters to her, but I still didn't know how she felt about me being in a relationship with her son, bringing in a five year old daughter. I also didn't know how she'd feel about Lexie, and that really scared me.

After our flight, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel before heading to Bennington. Once we walked in, a friendly-looking older doctor noticed us and walked over.

"Dr. Reid," he said, shaking Spencer's hand as I shifted Lexie rest on my other hip as I held her, "It's been a while."

"It's nice to see you again Dr. Norman," Spencer said, "It's been too long since I've visited my mom."

"And who are these lovely ladies?" he smiled, as Aria hid behind me and Lexie buried herself in my chest.

"This is my girlfriend Lindsey, her daughter Aria, and our foster daughter Lexie," Spencer introduced, "I brought them here to meet my mom, if it's a good day."

"It's a good thing you didn't come yesterday," Dr. Norman said, "Christmas always seems to be a bad day for her. She has been talking about you non-stop all day. I'll take you in to see her."

Dr. Norman led us into a bright room with large windows, where a woman with blonde hair sat in an armchair, the only one in the room.

* * *

Spencer walked up to her first, letting go of my hand, which I'd had a death grip on since I was so nervous.

"Hi mom," Spencer said nervously as he stood in front of her.

"Spencer," Diana said happily, "I'm so glad to see you. Where is that girlfriend of yours?"

Spencer motioned me over and I held onto Aria's hand as we sat on the couch next to Spencer. Lexie began to get fussy and reached out for Spencer, who took her and sat her on his lap, making her happy.

"You must be Lindsey," Diana smiled, "Spencer's told me so much about you. I feel like I already know you."

"Spencer's told me a lot about you too Mrs. Reid," I said, smiling as well.

"Please call me Diana," she insisted, "And who are these beautiful girls?"

"This is my daughter Aria," I said, as Aria started to get shy again, "Aria, this is Spencer's mommy. Can you say hi to her?"

"Hi," Aria said, "You're really pretty."

"Why thank you," Diana said, flattered, "So are you."

"This is my sister," Aria said, holding onto Lexie's hand as she continued to babble and laugh, "Her name is Lexie."

"Spencer and I are her foster parents," I explained, "She was orphaned while we were on a case and she really warmed up to us, so she decided to come home with us."

"Well aren't you just the cutest little girls," Diana said, as Lexie continued to smile and giggle. Then, out of the blue, she began to fuss and reach towards Diana. Spencer hesitantly allowed her to be held by Diana, tense the entire time.

"I think someone needs their diaper changed," Diana said, still beaming.

Spencer shot up off the couch, basically ripping Lexie out of his mom's arms and took the diaper bag, heading towards the bathroom, leaving Aria and I with Diana. Aria was currently occupied by some paper and crayons that Dr. Norman had brought her. That left Diana and I, and I still wasn't sure if she liked me.

"You know, you're good for him," Diana said, gazing at me inquisitively.

"I appreciate you saying that Diana," I said, "I just want you to know that I really do love your son and I never expected any of this to happen, but it did, and I am the happiest that I've ever been."

"I can see that he loves you too," Diana replied, nodding, "And I know that there will be a different ring on your finger all too soon."

I looked down at the promise ring that occupied my finger, blushing like a madwoman.

"I know that he's nervous about bringing people around me. I'll admit, I have my bad days," Diana explained, "He doesn't trust me like he used to when he was a little boy. I remember once, he tried to build a rocketship that could take him and I to the moon so that we would get away from the bad people. He was such a sweet boy."

Spencer and Lexie came back, and we visited for a little while longer before heading back to the hotel. We got changed and freshened up before impromptly deciding to go out to dinner. We went to a small Italian restauraunt that Spencer used to frequent. We were sitting at the table, eating and talking and laughing, when a man hesitantly came up the table.

* * *

"Spencer," he said, and when Spencer saw him, he immediately stood up and looked different than I'd ever seen him before.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer sneered, and I was surprised to see him this angry. Lexie started to cry and I picked her up out of the high chair, trying to calm her down.

"I was here having dinner with Valerie and Erica," he said, gesturing towards a dark-haired woman and a teenage girl that looked almost identical to her, but had eyes very similar to Spencer's, "When I saw you, I...I didn't know you were in town."

"We're just here to visit Mom," Spencer said shortly.

"Spencer, please, I'm trying here," the man pleaded, "I just want to be a part of your life."

I continued to sit, very confused, while Lexie fussed and Aria gobbled up her spaghetti, unaware of her surroundings. I was finally able to give Lexie a breadstick, which she sucked on and it got her to stop fussing, thankfully.

"I think we're done here," Spencer said, standing in front of Aria, Lexie, and me protectively.

"You could at least introduce me Spencer," the man said, "You owe me that much."

"I don't owe you anything and I never will," Spencer jeered, then sighed, before giving in, "Lindsey, this is my father William Reid."

"It's nice to meet you sir," I said, smiling nervously.

"And who are these two lovely girls?" William said, taking a step closer to our table, before being blocked by Spencer.

"I think it's time for you to go," he said sternly, crossing his arms.

"Spencer, I hope you know that if you ever need anything," his dad began, "I'm just a phone call away."

Spencer sat back down and the rest of our dinner was quiet. We went back to the hotel and after making sure Aria and Lexie were fast asleep, I crawled into Spencer's bed and wrapped my arm around his waist.

"Spence, are you okay?" I asked, as he turned over and wrapped his arm around me.

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that today," he apologized, "My dad and I don't have the greatest relationship."

"I know that what he did was wrong, leaving you and your mom, but he is trying to come back into your life," I started, "The least you could do is hear what he has to say."

"You're right," he said, looking into my eyes.

"And about your mom," I hesitated to say, "The way you acted with her around Lexie..."

"I know," Spencer interrupted, "I just get so nervous with her. You never know when she is going to snap. It just makes it hard for me to trust her."

"Well, she is your mom," I replied, giving him a kiss, "And I think she likes us."

Spencer sighed and placed a kiss to my forehead.

"I know she does," Spencer said, before we cuddled up together and fell asleep.

* * *

_The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.~Mahatma Ghandi_

**Please let me know what you think of Lexi. I decided to insert her into their family, and I hope you guys like what I've done!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Thirty-One of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank KeyLimePie28, Ilana Lunus, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, Lenika08, Crime-ShowAddiction, It's Lauren Elizabeth, and 36MaryRose36 for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

Chapter Thirty-Two

_Might not be tonight, tomorrow, or the next day, but everything is going to be okay._

* * *

_**February**_

A lot of things had happened in the past month. Spencer and I had made the big decision that we wanted to adopt Lexie. We had filed all the paperwork, and now it was a waiting game. I turned twenty-eight in January. Now, February had come. Aria was thriving in school and had made a lot of friends. Now that I was staying home with her and Lexie, she got to have her friends over after school, which she very much liked. Spencer was away a lot on cases, but when he was home, our family felt complete. He was home on Valentine's Day, so he took me to an old romantic black and white movie being shown in a cemetery.

I got a text from Spencer the day after Valentine's Day, February 15th, in the morning, saying that their case was local, but that he would be working around the clock, so he wouldn't be a home for a day or two. With that, I dropped Aria off at school, ran some errands with Lexie, went home, and began writing. Katie and I decided to try writing a book and over the past month we'd had a pretty great start. Three o'clock came and I picked Aria up from school. She did her homework and then the three of us girls played in the backyard for while before I made dinner.

Since it was a Friday night, I let Aria stay up later than usual and we watched Tangled, one of her favorite movies. Lexie fell asleep at eight-thirty, so I took her up into her room and laid her down in her crib. At ten thirty, Aria had finally fallen asleep, so I carried her upstairs and put her to bed. Realizing how exhausted I was, I quickly fell asleep in my own room, unaware that everything was about to change.

* * *

Spencer's POV

I had gotten called in for a case early Friday morning, a local case, which I was glad about. Once I got to work, everyone seemed a little frazzled. The case was young women with successful careers, all with the initals LP. They'd been gutted like fish, before being dumped in public places, wrapped in thick quilts. Hearing the case, it immediately made me think of Lindsey, but I shook the idea of her being a possible victim out of my head. Throughout the day, we visited crime scenes and talked to the victims' families. It got to be later at night, but we were all still working hard. We were all on a caffeine high, thanks to the generosity of Rossi, who bought us all coffee, but all too soon, my world came crashing down.

* * *

Alyssa Page's POV

It was just another night on the job for me. A 911 operator hadn't been my first career choice, but it paid the bills, and I truly liked helping people. I was actually dozing off when my phone rang.

"911, what is your emergency?" I asked groggily.

"My mommy's gone," a little girl's voice said timidly on the other end of the phone.

"Sweetie, what is your name?" I asked, furiously tracking the call and typing in information.

"Aria Parker," she said, "A man came into my house and took my mommy. There's blood and my sister is crying."

"How old is your sister sweetie?" I asked.

"Ten months old," Aria replied, "I'm in her room trying to make her happy, but there's blood in the hallway and on the stairs."

"Aria, the police are on their way, but I'm going to need you to stay on the phone with me okay?" I assured her.

"Okay," Aria said, and I could hear the baby crying in the background.

"Do you have any family that I could call for you?" I asked her.

"My grandpa, Henry James," Aria said, "He lives in Maryland. And my mommy's boyfriend Spencer Reid. He is an FBI agent."

"Okay honey, the police are there and they're going to take care of you okay?" I was tearing up just hearing this terrified little girl, "You be brave for your sister."

I quickly called Henry James, who said he was on his way to the house. Next, I called the FBI headquarters at Quantico and asked to speak to Spencer Reid, that it was an emergency.

* * *

Spencer's POV

I was going through the case files for the third time when Anderson ran into the bullpen.

"Reid, there's a call for you on line two," he said, breathlessly, "Says that it's an emergency."

I quickly picked up the phone and said hello.

"Is this Spencer Reid?" a woman on the other end questioned.

"Yes," I replied, nervous and hesitant.

"My name is Alyssa Page, I'm a 911 operator," she explained, "We received a distress call from your residence fifteen minutes ago. A little girl named Aria said that a man came in and took her mommy and that there was blood everywhere. Police and her grandfather are on scene, but I thought it best to notify you as well."

"Thank you," I said numbly, before hanging up the phone.

"Reid, what's wrong?" JJ asked as she walked back into the bullpen with a new cup of coffee.

"The UNSUB," I said, still in a daze, "He has Lindsey."

* * *

Lindsey's POV

All I remember is waking up after hearing the floor creak, like someone was walking into the bedroom. I had been telling Spencer that we should have Derek come and fix it, but we'd been so busy with cases and the girls that we hadn't had time. I assumed it was Spencer, so I sat up in bed, only to be confronted by a man in all black with a ski mask.

I quickly reached for the drawer in my bedside table, which held my FBI-issued gun. But before I could open the drawer, a gun was held against my head.

"You keep quiet and come with me or I'll blow the brains out of those two little girls I saw," the masked man said, "They are little beauties you know."

I tensed up and looked at him, trying to remember everything about him that I could. While I was glaring at him, though, he struck me across the face with the gun, making me land on the bed face down. I could feel the blood trickling from the wound on my temple. He picked me up by my hair and began to drag me out of the room and down the hallway, all the while, the blood flow seemed to increase, even though I didn't think it was that bad of a wound.

I could hear Aria rustling around in bed and I silently prayed that she would stay in her room. I had a feeling that he would do something to her, or to Lexie, if either of them got in his way. He continued to drag me down the stairs, and at one point, his grip loosened, so I struggled and got away, running for the kitchen, where another gun was hidden, along with a collection of knives.

He tackled to the floor and searing pain shot through my entire body. He flipped me over onto my back and took out a cloth from his pocket. He held it against my mouth and nose, while I continued to struggle. Quickly, though, my breathing became heavy, and I became dizzy and light-headed. The last thing I heard was the man saying, "Don't worry, sweetie, I'm going to save you and the baby."

* * *

Spencer's POV

Hotch and Morgan wouldn't let me drive, so I was sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV. This shouldn't have happened. I should have been home. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if I had been. We pulled up to the curb, and it was then that I saw the four other police cars and the ambulance. I didn't even wait for Hotch, I ran under the crime scene tape to the front door. A policeman blocked my way, but I pulled out my badge and kept on going. As I walked into the house, I couldn't believe what I saw.

There was a blood trail that, from what I could see, came from down the stairs, into the kitchen, and then out through the front door. There were crime scene team members everywhere, taking photographs and dusting for prints. I ran up the stairs and found Lindsey's dad in Aria's room, Lexie crying in his lap, and Aria, wide-eyed and terrified, sitting next to him on her bed. When Lexie saw me, she began to cry louder and reach out to me. As I reached out for Lexie, though, Aria jumped into my arms and buried her head in my shoulder before uttering one word.

"Daddy," she cried, as her voice trembled.

I didn't even know what to say to her. I couldn't even get a hold of myself, what was I supposed to tell a five year old?

"Thank you for coming Mr. Parker," I managed to sputter, as Lexie kept screaming.

I remembered reading in one of the many parenting and baby books that we'd bought after obtaining Lexie that babies could sense danger and stress.

"It's not your fault Spencer," Henry assured me, "And I know that you'll find her. I'll take care of the girls. You should go."

I was able to pry Aria out of my arms after I told her that I was going to find mommy. She continued to cry, hanging onto Henry, and it killed me to leave her and Lexie, but I knew that I had to. I went back downstairs, where the rest of the team were in a huddle, talking.

"So what do we know?" I asked, wiping the excess tears from my eyes.

"Reid, I think it's in the best interest for everyone if," Hotch began to say.

"Hotch, I'm not going off this case," I cut him off, "I'm going to find her. I have to."

Hotch sighed before walking over to the front door, "There is no sign of forced entry, but a key was found on the porch."

"He found the spare key," I concluded, running a hand through my hair, "What else?"

"From the blood, it appears that she was struck with a blunt object in the bed," JJ said, "From there, the trail leads down the stairs, and at the bottom of them, makes a sudden turn into the kitchen, where there is a lot more blood and a dent in the floor, which leads us to believe that she tried to get away, but was knocked down. The dent is probably from her head hitting the floor."

"The CSU team has collected DNA that they're going to test," Derek added, "But who knows who it could be from."

"Right now," Hotch stated, "We need to focus on what we already know about the UNSUB."

"Well, to do what he's doing to the victims, he needs space and privacy," Rossi interjected, "Wrapping them in the quilts shows remorse, but, on the other hand, leaving them in public places, like the subdivision and the park and the cemetery, says that he wants them to be found."

"We should get back to the office and take another look at the other crime scene photos," I said, "There might be something that we didn't pick up on that could help."

"There is another thing that could help," JJ sighed, looking at Hotch.

"Reid, she's the only witness we have," Hotch persisted.

"You want to do a cognitive on Aria?" I exclaimed, "No, she's too young. The effects could do severe emotional and psychological damage, you guys know that."

"She's the only witness Reid," Hotch insisted, "She could have seen his face or heard something that he said, something that could help us find him."

I was sitting next to Aria in her room, JJ, the chosen interviewer, sitting in a chair across from us.

"Aria, sweetie," JJ began, "I want you relax and focus, okay? Now I want you to close your eyes and go back to last night. What made you wake up?"

"I heard a loud noise," Aria said, "In my mom's room. I got out of bed and went to the doorway. I saw a man in my mom's room. He was wearing black clothes and black mask, the kind people wear when there's snow outside."

"Great, that's great," JJ said calmly, "What happened after that?"

"He pulled her by her hair, off the bed, and into the hallway," Aria kept going, "I hid behind my door, but I could see the blood through the crack. There was a lot of blood. After they were going down the stairs, I went into the hallway and saw the man dragging her down the stairs, but then she got away and ran into the kitchen. But then I heard another loud noise, so I went down the stairs and stood behind one of the walls. I leaned around and saw my mom on the floor and the man was on top of her. She was wiggling around and then he put a rag on her face and she stopped moving. He dragged her by her feet to the door and then he picked her up and shut the door. I ran to the window and saw him put her in a big, dark van with writing on the side."

"Could you see what the writing said Aria?" JJ asked.

"It was really dark Miss JJ," Aria stammered, "There was a tree, a white tree on the side. I don't remember anything else."

Aria started crying then and I pulled her into a hug.

JJ rubbed Aria's back, "You did great sweetie. That's really going to help us."

* * *

Lindsey's POV

When I woke up, I felt pain everywhere. I was laying on hard, cold concrete, and when I tried to sit up, the pain in my head was excruciating. I put my hand on the back of my hand, and when I brought it back, it was covered in fresh and dried blood. I blinked a few times, but it didn't change the fact that my vision was blurry. I couldn't stand, so I dragged myself from where I had been, in a dark corner, to the middle of whatever space I was in. I saw a large van that said, "Price Landscaping and Maintenance." There were gardening tools hanging on the wall, bags of fertilizer stacked along the wall on the other side of this warehouse, and a large gurney and tray with surgical instruments next to it.

The next thing I knew, there were footsteps and then a door opened and then shut again. A rush of cold air blew in, making me shiver. I was only wearing my pajamas, not exactly meant to be worn in the freezing weather. I heard boots walking towards me and I kept my head down, but it was suddenly pulled up using my hair and I let out a scream of pain.

"Scream all you want honey," the gruff man said, "But no one can hear you. It's soundproofed."

"What do you want?" I asked firmly, knowing that I couldn't show him any fear.

All of the sudden, he gently set me back down on the ground and stroked my hair. It was like someone flipped a switch on his personality.

"I'm going to save you and the baby," he said matter-of-factly, "No one will ever take you away from me."

I was so confused. My head was spinning and I didn't know where I was or who I was with. Before I knew it, my world turned black again.

* * *

_We hope all danger may be overcome; but to conclude that no danger may ever arise would itself be extremely dangerous. ~Abraham Lincoln_

* * *

**Please let me know what you think of Lexie. I decided to insert her into their family, and I hope you guys like what I've done!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Thirty-Two of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Lenika08, Guest, It's Lauren Elizabeth, 36MaryRose36, kingtransformo, musicluver246, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, and KeyLimePie28 for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three

_Of all the animals, man is the only one that is cruel. He is the only one that inflicts pain for the pleasure of doing it. ~Mark Twain_

**Lindsey has been missing for 2 days now.**

* * *

Spencer's POV

I felt like a useless failure. It had been over forty-eight hours since Lindsey had been abducted and we had next to nothing to go on. The three other victims and their crime scenes were all we had. The first victim was Lauren Powers, a twenty-eight year old real estate agent from D.C. She was found three weeks ago, after being missing for three days, in a residential subdivision in D.C. The second victim was Lily Pratt, a twenty-six year old nurse from D.C. She was found two weeks ago, after being missing for three days, in a park in D.C. The third victim was Lisa Patterson, a thirty-one year old teacher from D.C. She was found four days ago, after being missing for a week, in a cemetery just outside of D.C. All of the victims were found in wrapped in thick, homemade quilts.

"Reid," Morgan said, snapping me out of my thoughts, "The toxicology report just got here for the latest victim. Hotch wants you to check it out."

Morgan handed me the file and I numbly took it out and started reading, stopping when I saw something that caught my eye. I quickly got up and went into the bullpen, where the rest of the team was checking out leads.

"Guys, this toxicology report," I began, "The medical examiner found high levels of folic acid, calcium, zinc, and ferrous sulfate in her system, which are what make up..."

"Prenatal vitamins," JJ finished.

"But she wasn't pregnant," Hotch concluded, "The medical examiner found no signs of pregnancy."

"What's up Reid?" Morgan asked, noticing my facial expression.

"Something Aria said in the cognitive interview," I murmured, taking out the written record of it, "She said she heard the UNSUB say that he was going to save her and the baby."

Hotch led us all into the round-table room, where photos of the crime scenes were hung on the boards.

"I think we were looking at this the wrong way," Hotch said, pointing towards the photos of the victims injuries, "The stabs were superficial and shallow, but they were covering up something else."

After he pointed it out, it was easy to see the dark vertical line on their stomachs and the horizontal line as well.

"Those are the cuts that doctors use during a C-Section," Rossi stated.

"And if none of the women were actually pregnant," Derek realized.

"Then he had psychotic belief that they were," Hotch finished, "Whoever this man is, he is a psychopath and should be considered very dangerous."

"Guys," Anderson said, knocking on the door as he opened it, "There's a caller on the tip-line who said that she was involved in a hit and run by a van matching our description the night of Lindsey's kidnapping. She got a license plate number."

After receiving the description of the vehicle, a large dark green van with a white tree on the side, we got the license plate from the woman, Brenda Summers. We had Garcia run it and found out that it belonged to Harry Price, who owned his own landscaping and lawn maintenance company.

"Garcia, we need everything you have on Harry Price," Hotch said as we all were crammed into her lair.

"Alright, Harry Price was born and raised in Texas. When he was twenty-three, he was kicked out of Eastern Virginia Medical School after he was convicted of armed robbery. He served three years and was then released on good behavior," Penelope stated, typing furiously, "Shortly after his release, he started up his own landscaping business with financial support from his parents. He married Leigh Anne Rutger a year after being released. Oh my gosh."

"What is it?" we all asked as we tried to look at her screen.

"A month ago, Leigh Anne was rushed to the hospital after she fainted at home," Garcia began, "They had to do an emergency c-section, but no one knew that she was allergic to anesthesia. She went into cardiac arrest, but they weren't able to save her or the baby boy that they delivered. Harry Price sued the hospital for negligent homicide, but was told his case had no bearing and it was dismissed."

"When was the case dismissed Garcia?" Hotch questioned.

"Two days after Leigh Anne died," Penelope said somberly.

"That was the trigger," Hotch said, "The shock of losing his wife and son sent Price into a downward spiral and psychotic break."

"Where does he live Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, "Do you have an address?"

"Harry Price resides in Cedar Ridge Apartments, 2A, but he owes about a thousand dollars in back rent and the landlord changed the locks," Penelope replied, as she kept typing, "But wait, he also owns a warehouse where he runs his business and keeps his van. There are permits and...oh my gosh. The neighbors in the houses surrounding the warehouse complained about the noise, so he soundproofed it a year ago."

"Alright," Hotch said, "Let's go."

* * *

Lindsey's POV

When I woke up, I didn't know how much time had passed. I tried to move, but I couldn't. My wrists and ankles were strapped to an upright board, like a vertical operation table. A tray of surgical instruments lay on a metal tray placed on a makeshift table. Most of the instruments were typical of what you would see in a hospital, but there were long, sharp knives and screwdrivers as well, tucked in among the scalpels and syringes.

"Ah, you're awake," the man said as he walked in, "Don't worry, you and the baby are going to be fine. I'm going to save you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, struggling to free myself.

"Oh, you will," he smiled evilly, "Just wait and see."

He put on a pair of surgical gloves and approached me, cutting off my tank top, leaving my bare stomach and bra exposed. He didn't bother to sterilize anything before he began to make a long cut in my abdomen. I could hear sirens approaching, and I was hoping that I could hang on long enough.

"Please, stop," I said through the excruciating pain, "I have two daughters and they need me. I have a boyfriend who loves me and a family. Please stop."

"They took my family away," the man screamed, as he began to randomly and wildly stab me and cut me, "They took away the only good things in my life and they have to pay!"

The warehouse door crashed open and I could, even through my blurry vision, make out the members of the team.

"Harry Price, put down the knife and step away from her," Hotch ordered, "Do it now!"

"You don't understand," the man said monotone, "I have to save them. I have to save both of them before it's too late."

He raised the knife and began to lower it towards my heart when I saw Spencer pull the trigger of his gun. One shot rang out and the man collapsed to the floor, covering me in spatters of his blood. Spencer ran over to me as the medical staff began to unstrap me and place me on the gurney.

"Spencer," I slurred as my vision began to grow dark. Then I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head and everything was quiet.

* * *

When I woke up, it was dark outside and I was in a hospital bed. I turned my head and saw Spencer asleep in a chair next to me, his hand holding mine. I smiled and gently squeezed his hand. Even though I was so tired, I wanted to talk to him.

"Hey, you're awake," he said, sitting up and grasping my hand tighter, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a train," I smiled, "I'll be fine. How are the girls?"

"They're doing okay," Spencer said, "They miss you. They've been staying with your dad ever since that night."

Just then, a doctor walked into the room. He was older and the smile he had on his face made me feel a bit better.

"Miss Parker, it's nice to see you awake!" he exclaimed as he came to stand on the other side of my bed, "I'm Dr. Greenberg. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," I said, grimacing as I tried to move.

"You suffered severe abdominal trauma during your attack, which will leave lifelong scars," Dr. Greenberg stated, "Along with a moderate concussion and dehydration, that will keep you grounded to the couch for a while. I understand that won't be easy for you. I hear you have two little ones at home."

"Yes," I smiled just thinking of the girls.

"How old are they?" Dr. Greenberg asked.

"Our oldest is five. Her name is Aria," I explained, "Lexie is ten months old."

"Well, you're going to have to take it easy for a while," Dr. Greenberg advised, "No heavy lifting, bending over, or strenuous activity."

"Yes sir," I laughed, which hurt, "Thank you."

"We'll be discharging you in the morning," Dr. Greenberg said as he left the room.

"As much as I want to keep talking, this medication is making me really tired," I yawned.

"Get some sleep," Spencer advised, "We'll have all the time in the world to talk once you're feeling better."

* * *

And with that I was asleep, not waking up until nine the next morning. The doctors ran some final tests and made sure my wounds were healing properly and my stitches were in place before we filled out a mountain of paperwork and were finally able to leave.

The drive home felt like forever and I just wanted to see the girls. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to pick Lexie up upset me, but I knew that I didn't want to re-injure myself, so I would take the necessary precautions. Once we pulled up to the house, Spencer parked the car and then came around and helped me get out. Walking still wasn't very easy, but I was relieved and excited to be home.

We walked in the door and Aria immediately ran over and wrapped herself around my legs.

"Hey Ari-Bug," I smiled.

"Aria, we have to be careful because Mommy doesn't feel good, okay?" Spencer said, as Aria took my hand and led me towards the couch, where my dad and Lexie were sitting.

"Mama!" Lexie squealed and reached out her arms towards me.

"Hey pretty girl," I said, slowly sitting on the couch, "Hi dad."

"Hey sweetheart," my dad replied, leaning over and giving me a kiss on the cheek, "Your girls missed you."

"I missed them too," I smiled, as the doorbell rang and Spencer got up to answer it.

He was gone for a few minutes and then came back with a large, official-looking envelope.

"It's from the Department of Social Services," Spencer said as he opened it, "Our application was approved. We have a court date to make the adoption official in two weeks."

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed as Spencer leaned down and gave me a kiss, after which my dad gave me a hesitant hug.

"Mommy, what does that mean?" Aria asked, swinging her legs as they hung off the couch.

"Remember when we told you that Lexie was going to stay with us for a little while?" I asked, which got a nod from Aria, "Well, this means that she is officially going to be a part of our family and stay with us forever."

"Yay!" Aria screamed, making all three adults plug their ears as the two girls danced around the living room.

Lexie had started walking recently. She was still wobbly, but she refused any help and threw a fit if you tried to hold her hand while she was walking. She would only relent when you picked her up, something I wouldn't be able to do for a while. Her speech had come a long way too since she'd come to stay with us. At first, she wouldn't talk at all. Now, she was saying so many words, it was hard to keep track of them all. Mama was her latest favorite, or so I'd heard. Spencer had told me that while I was gone, that was the only word she would say.

* * *

I excused myself and hobbled up the stairs and into the bathroom. I just wanted to get away, to see what that man had done to me. I lifted up my t-shirt and stared into the mirror at the scars that etched themselves into my stomach. Red and raw, the lines were straight and precise as I painstakingly traced them with my finger. They made my toned, tan stomach look frail and worn. Tears escaped my eyes as I remembered what the doctor had told me when Spencer had gone to pull the car around.

_**Flashback**_

"_**Miss Parker, could I have a minute?" Dr. Greenberg asked as I finished packing.**_

"_**Of course," I smiled, "Again, I just want to thank you for everything that you've done for me."**_

"_**It was my pleasure," the man smiled, "But there is one thing that I do need to talk to you about. Due to the amount of abdominal trauma you suffered, there is a chance that there might be too much scar tissue for a viable pregnancy to reach term."**_

"_**Are you saying that I won't be able to have any more kids?" I said, choking up.**_

"_**That's not what I'm saying," Dr. Greenberg replied, "Once you decide that you want to try for another baby, we'll need to perform a simple test to see if there is too much scar tissue. If there isn't, you will be fine. I'm sorry Lindsey."**_

_**I knew that I couldn't tell Spencer, not yet. Not if I didn't even know how he felt about having more kids after we already had Aria and Lexie. I kept it too myself, rationalizing that if a baby ever came up, then I would tell him.**_

_**End Flashback**_

Our family was about to become a real, legal family, that was what I needed to think about right now. Nothing in the world could ruin this moment. Or so I thought.

* * *

_Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars ~Philosopher Kahlil Gibran_

* * *

**Please let me know what you think of Lexie. I decided to insert her into their family, and I hope you guys like what I've done!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Thirty-Three of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**

**I am also writing a fanfiction called Decisions, Decisions, which is a Derek Morgan/OC and Aaron Hotchner/OC romance and drama story. Check it out and review!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Criminal Minds. Everything goes to CBS, except for the characters, cases, etc. that I have created!**

**Hope you're enjoying the story! I love writing it for you guys! Rate and Review!**

**I would especially like to thank Hope'sFace, Attack-Of-The-Blue-Penguins, 36MaryRose36, Sarah-Frog-Brothers-Fan, Lenika08, Crime-ShowAddiction, and It's Lauren Elizabeth for their amazing reviews! Keep it up!**

Chapter Thirty-Four

_Always be prepared to expect the unexpected._

**Two weeks later-End of February**

* * *

Lindsey's POV

The day had finally come. The day we would appear in family court and get full custody of Aria as her parents. Due to the fact that Spencer and I weren't married, just in a committed serious relationship, the court had made a special exception. The fact that we were both federal agents did help a little bit. Since Hotch was still able to practice law, he had generously accepted our offer to be our lawyer. The whole team was in the courtroom, along with my dad and my sister. Aria and Lexie were being entertained by JJ and Penelope. I was just relieved that they were being quiet.

"So, it seems all the necessary paperwork is in order," the judge said, rifling through a stack of papers, "I believe that it is in the best interest of the child in question, that she be..."

A court officer walked up and whispered something to the judge, who received a puzzled and worried expression on his face.

"I'm very sorry Miss Parker, Dr. Reid, we'll have to reschedule this hearing until a full investigation is completed," the judge said regretfully.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, hearing the court doors open behind me.

"The child's birth father has come forward," the judge said, gesturing towards the back of the courtroom.

Spencer and I turned around to see a young man with light brown hair and brown eyes, looking a lot like Lexie. He couldn't be more than twenty or twenty-one. He looked like a kid.

"Mr. Renaldo," the judge said, "Your petition for custody has been received and will be an option that the court will consider. For the time being, the child will remain in the custody of her foster parents. I would like to remind all parties to remember that we are trying to figure out the best living situation for the child. Court is adjourned."

I quickly went and took Lexie from JJ, not caring about the pain that shot through my stomach, and when I did, she immediately clung to me, sucking on her fingers. Spencer appeared by my side and took my hand, as the young man came towards us.

"Hi," he said nervously, "My name is Carter Renaldo. I know this isn't how you expected the day to go. I just want to explain myself so you don't think I'm trying to ruin your life."

"The least we could do is hear what you have to say," I replied, as Lexie looked nervously at Carter, still sucking on her fingers.

"I met Anastasia Bruco when I was nineteen," Carter began, "I was going to school at the University of Arizona majoring in Business. I went to the park to clear my head and I found her sleeping on a bench. I helped her out, got her a place to stay and a job. I fell in love with her and when she told me she was pregnant, I was actually happy. I was planning on asking her to marry me, but then she disappeared. I never heard from her again. Until, after I graduated and I was at work at this new software company, I saw a photo of her on the news and then one of her daughter, who had been rescued from a baby-selling operation. I knew how much that baby looked like me, I knew it was my daughter and I had to find her."

"Okay," I said, tears welling in my eyes, "I'll meet you guys outside Spence."

* * *

I basically ran out of the courthouse, sitting on the steps as I held clung to Lexie, who had drifted off to sleep on my shoulder, her fingers still in her mouth. I cried, knowing that she could be taken from us if something went wrong. Hotch, Spence, and the rest of the team soon joined me on the steps. Spence sat down next to me and put his arm around me, pulling me closer to him.

"Hey, everything's going to be okay," Spencer said quietly, "Hotch is going to help us. We're not going to lose her."

"Linds," Morgan called, "You and Reid are great parents. That guy doesn't have anything on you."

"But he's her biological father," I stated, "Blood comes before love in the courtroom, that's one thing I know."

"She's right," Hotch replied solemnly, "We're going to have to build a rock-solid case if, I mean so, Lexie can stay."

"But Hotch," JJ interrupted, "That guy is twenty-one years old. He can't raise and support a baby. Heck, he's not even married."

"Neither are Lindsey and Reid. Look, he has a job, which gives him a steady source of income," Hotch offered, "That will be something that court will take into consideration. Add in the fact that Lexie was kept from him and he didn't sign away his parental rights."

We drove home in silence. Aria and Lexie both were asleep, but Spencer and I were still in shock from the events that had passed in the past hour. We had been so close to making our family real and permanent, but something had to come and ruin it. My faith was shaking. I couldn't believe God would do this to us, after everything we had already been through. Once we got home, it was the girls' bedtime, so after tucking them in, I sat at the table, case files in front of me.

* * *

I had started working from home, writing up preliminary profiles for cases that we couldn't take on right away. This way, they would have an idea of who they were looking for, in case we weren't able to come and help them. I was in the middle of finishing the last profile when I broke down, throwing the file at the wall, which caused Spencer to come running down the stairs. By now, I was hysterically crying, and when Spencer wrapped his arms around me, I just buried my face into his chest and continued crying.

We stayed like that for a while. When I was finally able to calm down, we sat on the couch. I was curled up next to him, still upset.

"You really should eat something," Spencer advised, "You haven't eaten all day."

The past three weeks since being in the hospital. I hadn't had an appetite. Anything I did eat just came back up. I wasn't able to hold much of anything down, besides potato chips and popcorn. I attributed it to all the stress from being attacked and kidnapped, and from Lexie's adoption.

"I'm not hungry," I assured him, "I'm going to be fine. I don't need you to hover over me every minute."

"I'm just worried about you," Spencer said, holding onto my hand and stroking it with his thumb, "I should have been here that night. If I had been..."

"Then you would've been dead," I finished for him, "I really believe that everything happens for a reason. There's a reason I was kidnapped and there's a reason that Lexie's father is in the picture now. It'll all work itself out, that I know for sure."

In all the crying and such, my shirt had come up a bit, showing the end of one of my long scars and a few of the small ones. They were healing well, now only a little red, but the skin was still sensitive, mostly because I was ignoring the doctor's orders most of the time and picking up Lexie. Spencer carefully pulled my shirt up farther, exposing all of the scars, ten in all. They were various lengths and some were straight, while others were jagged. The two that resembled a C-Section were the most painful. Spencer just looked at me, a hurt look in his eyes.

"That's what he did to you," Spencer said, "I should have noticed the C-Section incisions earlier. They were there the whole time. If I would've seen it sooner, we would've found him sooner, and then we would have gotten to you before he had the chance to..."

Spencer was interrupted by Aria coming down the stairs, rubbing her eyes and holding onto the large stuffed elephant that Spencer had gotten her at the zoo that first time we had hung out together. It seemed like so long ago now.

"Mommy," Aria said, walking towards us, "I had a bad dream."

She climbed up onto the couch between us, not giving me a chance to pull my shirt back down before she saw my stomach. We hadn't told her why I was in the hospital, just that I didn't feel well and the doctor was going to help me.

"Mommy, what happened to your tummy?" Aria asked, pointing, "Did someone hurt you?"

"Well sweetie," I replied, "Do you remember when I was in the hospital?"

"Yes," Aria nodded.

"Well, a very bad man did hurt me, but you know what?" I continued, "Spencer saved me and made the bad man go away so he could never hurt anyone else ever again."

"So is he a superhero?" Aria asked, looking at Spence with an adoration that only a five year could have.

"He is definitely our superhero," I smiled, as Spencer sheepishly grinned.

"Mommy," Aria turned to look at me, "While you were gone, I prayed and asked God to ask Daddy if it would be okay if I called Spencer Dad too. And guess what Mommy?"

"What Ari-Bug?" I asked, sharing in her excitement.

"God said yes," Aria answered, "Is it okay with you if I call Spencer Daddy?"

"It's fine with me," I said, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "But maybe you should ask him yourself."

Aria turned to look at Spencer, a confident look on her face.

"Can I call you my daddy Spencer?" Aria asked, her eyes making that puppy-dog look that he always fell for.

"I would love that Princess," Spencer replied, which resulted in him getting a big hug before she gave me a kiss and he picked her up and took her back upstairs. He came back a few minutes later.

"Listen Spence," I began, taking his hands in mine as he sat back down on the couch, "It's over. Price is dead. You killed him. You saved my life. No one is ever going to take me away again. I love you. So now you're stuck with me."

"I've never been more happy to be stuck," Spencer smiled, leaning in to kiss me, which turned into a mini-makeout session.

"We should get to bed," I said, breaking away, "We have to meet with Hotch in the morning before your new case presentation."

I pulled a very reluctant Spencer off the couch and finally coaxed him upstairs.

* * *

We woke up very early the next morning, Saturday, got ourselves and the girls ready, before driving to the BAU. The team had already gotten a new case, but Hotch had agreed to meet with us before the presentation. He also agreed to let us bring the girls, who got to hang out with Uncle Derek and Aunt Penelope while we met.

"So, I want to tell you what the defense is going to try to pull to win," Hotch began, "First, you two aren't married and the defense is going to argue that you pulled strings with a judge to be awarded the adoption in the first place. Next, you both have dangerous jobs."

"But I'm working from home right now," I defended.

"But you're recovering from injuries sustained when you were kidnapped and tortured by an UNSUB," Hotch told us, "They're going to try to tear apart your entire lives to make it seem like you're unfit parents."

We went over a few more scenarios and details before the team had to meet. I kissed Spencer and then went to find the girls. I finally found them in Garcia's lair, where Derek holding a fast-asleep Lexie and Penelope had Aria on her lap, chair facing the computer.

"Penelope, what are you doing with Aria?" I questioned, although a smile remained on my face.

"It's never to late to learn hacking, I mean, computer encryption Linds, trust me," Penelope answered, "And your little girl here is a natural. She'll make a great technical analyst one day."

"Thanks," I smiled, "But we have to go. The team's meeting now, you both better hurry. I don't want to get you in trouble for being late."

"You know Linds," Penelope said before she went out the door, "We're all going to be at the trial to support you and to testify as character witnesses. He's not going to take Lexie from you."

"Thanks Pen," I replied, "But could you do me one favor?"

"Anything buttercup!" Penelope exclaimed.

"Could you do a full background check on Carter Renaldo," I stated, "I want to know everything about him."

"Done," Penelope responded, "I will see you later my lovelies!"

We got home and I set out cleaning the house, Lexie clung to my hip the entire time. It was like she could sense something was going on, because she wouldn't let me put her down. Aria was eating lunch when the doorbell rang. I switched Lexie from one hip to the other as I opened the door, seeing Carter Renaldo on my front porch.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped.

"I came to see my daughter," Carter replied, not a hint of anger in his voice, "My lawyer is here to supervise the visit, but I have an order signed by the judge."

I sighed, letting both him and his lawyer in. Aria heard the voices and walked into the living room, where I was sitting in a chair and Carter and his lawyer were sitting on the couch.

"Hi, I'm Aria," she smiled sweetly, such a people person, "Who are you?"

"My name is Carter and this is my friend Andy," Carter introduced, causing Aria to wave at the both of them.

"This is my little sister Lexie," Aria replied, pointing to the small girl who sat in my lap, looking nervously at the two men sitting across the room from us, "She's eleven months old. Her birthday is next month."

"Really?" Carter said, genuine interest in his voice.

"Ari-Bug, why don't you go play in your room," I told her, "Mommy needs to talk to Carter and Andy."

Aria obediently ran up the stairs, leaving me alone with the two men. I quickly texted Spencer and Hotch, knowing they wouldn't be able to text back, but wanting them to know.

I sat Lexie down on the floor to play with her toys, grimacing as the all-to-familiar sharp pains ran through my stomach.

"Do you mind if I...?" Carter asked, gesturing towards Lexie.

"Be my guest," I said, "But she doesn't really like strangers."

He sat down on the floor next to her, rolling a ball towards her. She looked at him cautiously, taking the ball in her own hand and standing herself up, bringing it to me with a smile.

"Mamamamama," she said happily, hitting her hands on my knees.

"Lexie, can you say hi?" I asked her, pointing towards a now-sullen Carter.

She looked up at me, turned towards him, and waved, a small hi escaping her lips.

* * *

A half hour later, Lexie still hadn't warmed up to Carter. He left, not in a good mood, with his lawyer. I sat down at the kitchen table to write a letter to Diana. During my semi-bed rest, I had gotten bored with TV and magazines, so I started to write her. She loved getting my letters and I had recently started sending her pictures of Aria and Lexie. Today, I was sending her a copy of the recent family photo we had had taken by Penelope at the park. All of us were looking at the camera and smiling, a huge feat that had taken us an hour. I told Diana about how Lexie was now fully mobile and walking without help.

I also told her that when we showed Lexie a picture of her, she would smile, point, and say "Gammie!" I knew that would make her happy. I decided not to tell her about the trial and Lexie's birth father, not wanting to upset her or set her off into a frenzy. I munched on potato chips while I wrote, finishing just in time to catch the mailman as he came. I went back into the house and started going through old pictures of Aria. I found one of me, when I had just found out that I was pregnant with her, a bag of potato chips in my hand.

I suddenly remembered that with my pregnancy with Aria, all I had been able to eat were salty things. I looked down at my stomach in disbelief. I couldn't be pregnant. If I had been, the damage Harry Price had done would have killed the baby, no doubt. But, then again, I had somehow gained a few pounds, despite my weird diet. I put the idea out of my mind, not wanting to add any more stress to our life right now.

* * *

_Don't cry over the past, it's gone. Don't stress about the future, it hasn't arrived. Live in the present and make it beautiful._

* * *

**Please let me know what you think of Lexie and the twist I have inserted. I hope you guys like what I've done!**

**So what do you guys think? Well, I hope you enjoyed Chapter Thirty-Four of my fanfiction, Here I Go, as much as I did! I do appreciate all of the support and positive feedback I'm getting from all of you! Keep it up! Please review! Let me know if you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas for future chapters! I love hearing what you readers have to say! ~Kelsey**

**I also am writing another fanfiction, a Derek Morgan/OC romance story called An Untraditional Love Story. Check it out and review!**

**Another fanfiction I have begun writing is called Decisions, Decisions. It features Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan, and an OC that I created named Juliette "Jette" McCallum. It involves romance (love triangle), crime, and drama! Check it out and review!**


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